Where are you when your mindees are playing?

**gigglinggoblin** · 22-10-2009, 06:36 PM

Got my first inspection report today and something has just got me wondering. Mrs Ofsted said while she was here that it was lovely to see me 'with the children' and in her report she has has said something like how 'alert' I am and how good the supervision of the children is. Dont get me wrong I am not complaining! Its definately a nice comment

But I just wondered what she was expecting, I had my son and mindee who are both 2.7, they love being together and as they went between the two rooms I went with them, I cant imagine not doing with children that age. Are you always with your mindees? Its something she has really picked out to comment on so wondered what was the norm (it has been pointed out by a few people I allow my son to cling a bit)

**Alz** · 22-10-2009, 06:41 PM

Usually with my mindees most of the time either in the same room or adjacent room (kind of two rooms in one!)......unless I'm in the kitchen (then I'm usually shouting at them to get out the kitchen!!!) or on the loo

(obviously after securing mindee in buggy/high chair, or in the travel cot etc etc!

)

**Pudding Girl** · 22-10-2009, 06:46 PM

Always with the baby and flit about to keep an eye on the older ones if they are wanting to do something in another room. I find they relish the opportunity to have a bit of space away from me hovering all the while and they can sort out their own small rows and stuff.

I am always in the next room though and in eaarshot.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 22-10-2009, 07:08 PM

My mindees are playing on 3 levels so I cannot always see them but can always hear them no matter where they are.

I flit here and there depending on where I am needed. I am lucky that I have a good mix of ages and they are happy to play together or split into different groups.

**madasahatter** · 22-10-2009, 07:31 PM

More often than not I am in the same room, though our ground floor is pretty open plan (double doors between lounge and the dining room/kitchen are always open) meaning I can be cooking lunch and still see most of the lounge.

**janminder** · 22-10-2009, 07:32 PM

My older mindees send me out in the kitchen when they are playing some games because they dont want me watching ex-mindee

I am being stalked sitting with me at mo says 'they can't focus and get into the game being watched but if I am interacting with them that is fine'. Younger ones I am with all the time unless in the kitchen going backwards and forwards to check.

**gigglinggoblin** · 22-10-2009, 07:38 PM

Thats pretty much what I thought, I dont watch my older kids every minute, I agree about letting them sort their own stuff out. It just struck me as an odd thing to pick up on for kids that age but due to the comments about my clingy child I wondered if everyone was wildly different! Will go back to ignoring comments now lol

**Ripeberry** · 22-10-2009, 08:24 PM

The kitchen in my house is almost central, so when I'm in it I can see into the sun room, the back garden, round the corner (have reflective film on some of the glass) and I can see into the dinning room which opens up into the living room, and finally I can see the front door and the hallway.
Strange set-up as my kitchen has 3 doors, one to the dinning room, one to the utility room and one to the hallway.
But most of the time I will sit at the dinning room table and watch the mindee trundle around, interact with him when he needs help and show him how to to things.
With the 3yr old mindee, especially when my daughters are back from school, its all to do with keeping my kids out of the kitchen as they want to eat everything

, but it is funny watching them.

**Ripeberry** · 22-10-2009, 08:25 PM

The kitchen in my house is out of bounds and has two gates, no mindees are allowed in.

**sarah707** · 22-10-2009, 08:27 PM

Hiding in the living room

Nah! Not really!

I have 2 rooms together with patio doors and I'm usually between them somewhere so I can watch everyone.

When the back door is open I tend to be outside, or again between the patio and the house.

i find it very hard when some want to be out and others in, because it's difficult to meet all their needs, but it's something I'm working on for my own professional development.

Older children use the living room sometimes for reading after school or occasionally watching TV so I'll pop in there and see what they are up to regularly as well...

**HomefromHome** · 22-10-2009, 08:39 PM

kinda got all downstairs to use and can see/hear - i never leave anyone who cant walk!!!!!!!!!! they come where i am/i go where they are!

**The Juggler** · 23-10-2009, 07:40 AM

I use all downstairs. I use cupboard locks in the kitchen and my mindees go shopping or take the buggies to the park through the hall, into kitchen and out to utility room at the back. I sometimes stay in the lounge with the baby, and listen to their play (I can hear them fine) or I move to kitchen with baby if they are camped out in there so i can interact/supervise if need be.

I'm always with them or in eyesight (just inside backdoor) if they are in garden though (fortunately, have downstairs loo just inside door).

I sit on the floor to play with them but not all the time. I find if I pop to kitchen, they decamp there bringing their toys to play with them infront of me.

LOL

**jelly15** · 23-10-2009, 07:50 AM

I use playroom, hall and lounge and I play/follow them around 90% of the time. When I am in the bathroom (downstairs) very LOs are popped into playpen.

When I am making a meal the LOs are in highchairs but when I get older mindees they will be allowed to continue playing in the other rooms until food is ready.

I have accsess to the garden from the playroom so I can see them even if I am not outside.