Weekly Chat 28th March

[Mouse]

It's a bit late in the day, but welcome to the new week!

We've made the most of the lovely weather again today because I think it's due to get cold later in the week. As soon as the children got here this morning they were asking to go outside, so we did. It keeps everything tidy indoors :laughing:

Did everyone have a good weekend? I had a wander round town on Saturday and got some bargains in the charity shop, including a couple of Room on the Broom soft toys for 50p each. I also got some more bits for loose parts play. I've got so many things now I should stop buying them, but when you see a stainless steel gravy boat for 50p you just have to buy it!

Then yesterday we had a family BBQ at my son's house for Mother's Day. The best part was I didn't have to cook or wash up :D

[loocyloo]

A gravy boat for 50p! well done! they are usually around the £3 mark at least whenever I see one!

We had rain/drizzle all day yesterday. as it was my day off, it didn't matter! Forecast is not great for the rest of this week! rain, and even SNOW! I was hoping it was going to be like 2 years ago, when we had those weeks and weeks of glorious sunshine! We're going to visit a local toddler group today with a friend and then, I'm not really sure what we're doing the rest of the week!

I much prefer being outside, because, as you say ... it keeps everything tidy inside :laughing:

stay warm, stay dry, stay safe and have a good day everyone :happy banana::happy banana::happy banana:

[Pixie dust]

Lucky you Mouse....it was very cold and damp here yesterday and to be honest not much better here today either. After a couple of busy weeks with lots planned we don't have a lot happening this week, I am going to see how each day goes. We actually break up Friday for Easter here and I am having next week off. We are going to visit DS1 and his girlfriend at the weekend, the weather isn't looking too good it seems whenever we go to visit either sons up north the weather is always cold and wet !


Last Holby tonight Mouse...

I had a good nose around the charity shops at the weekend and came home empty handed. The gravy jug reminded me of Maza as I remembered her saying about being on the hunt for one in her local charity shops.

I have a busy after school session tonight so going to go and get organised while 2 out of the 3 are currently sleeping.

[Ellisha]

We had lovely weather yesterday but it's more overcast today and yes, I think even some sleet forecast for laster in the week. The warm weather makes such a difference to my mood! The clock change has messed me up a bit, hopefully I'll get used to the mornings soon!

I am taking the LOs into my kids school tomorrow as my son's class has been learning to play the djembe drums. They are doing a quick concert for the parents. It's at 9.45 so a rush home to give to LOs some breakfast and then a rush back to school! Ideally I'll then be heading off to toddler group as they have some easter crafts on, but that's in the opposite direction to school. I walk everywhere (apart from using the bus sometimes) so it will be good exercise!

[Mouse]

Enjoy the drumming Ellisha. One of my sons learnt to play the djembe when he was at junior school. It always sounded fantastic when they played together.

Pixie, I won’t get to watch Holby on time tonight but I’ve already set it to record to I can catch up on it before bed. I hope it’s a good ending and wraps things up. I don’t like endings that leave more questions than answers!

Our weather has been overcast compared to last week, but it was still nice enough to play out without coats on. The children loved the gravy boat in the sand table. 50p well spent :D I’ve often seen them (but for a lot more money) and always think of Maza and this group. I also bought a little pewter dish. I really spent big on it (a whole £2) but when I looked it up when I got home, I found it was worth about £40 :eek: I’ve kept that one for them to play with indoors rather than in the sand table :laughing:

[Mouse]

Well, that's our good weather gone! It's cold and wet and so dark today. I think we're going to have a cosy day indoors with lots of stories, singing and free play.

Pixie Dust, what did you think of Holby? I thought the main story line was a bit predictable, but I did like how it ended...as if it wasn't the end. I don't think I'll miss it, but I'm glad I stuck with it till the end. Now we just need to see what they replace it with.

[Pixie dust]

We ended the day with a very wet school run ! The downpour started just as we left home:mad:

Mouse...I thought the final scenes from Holby were good especially the tribute to the NHS but I did think the episode dragged a little and was a little flat. I will miss it as it was my little Tuesday night habit and that was the one night I could steal the remote from DH :laughing:

[loocyloo]

I did the school run in SNOW! Last Wednesday it was a school run in summer dresses and no coats !

It hasn't settled but we've have a fair few snow storms since the school run!

No idea what I'm doing tomorrow .. going to see what the weather is up to, and go from there. I've only got 2 during the day, so would usually make the most of it and go out and about, but not sure I want to if its cold and wet! ( plus these children really don't enjoy being out in the rain :D )

[loocyloo]

And we've woken up to SNOW! ... not masses and it's not really settled, but still .. SNOW !!!!!

[Dragonfly]

Few flurries of snow nothing to talk about, very cold and tad windy, sun keeps trying to peep out.

We made spring playdough... that’s yellow for daffs,

Made an Audi out of a cardboard box.

Think we will do a blossom tree later using cotton balls in pegs to apply the paint and ignore wintery weather outside.

[Mouse]

I’ve been surprised by the amount of snow we’ve had today. None of it has lasted long, but we’ve had several short, really intense blizzards. Each time it’s started up again the children were desperate to get outside. Unfortunately, but the time they’d all got coats and shoes on, it had just about finished :laughing: We did manage to catch a couple of flurries, but as soon as they stopped, the children complained they were cold and wanted to come back indoors.

[loocyloo]

I’ve been surprised by the amount of snow we’ve had today. None of it has lasted long, but we’ve had several short, really intense blizzards. Each time it’s started up again the children were desperate to get outside. Unfortunately, but the time they’d all got coats and shoes on, it had just about finished :laughing: We did manage to catch a couple of flurries, but as soon as they stopped, the children complained they were cold and wanted to come back indoors.


We had a fair amount of snow hanging around this morning, and it was just perfect for snowballs ... but my girls didn't agree:laughing: we had a couple of flurries whilst we were out which was fun. The sun came out and melted it all this afternoon, but it was very cold. Just greyed over again and had another bit of snow!

[Pixie dust]

We have had a very cold and wintery 24 hours, this morning I sat drinking my tea watching some very heavy snow flurries. It was very windy on the walk to school.

Have a lovely Friday....I am looking forward to my week off next week.

[loocyloo]

ooo pixie ... enjoy your day off!

another week of school for us!

the snow has melted, but it is FREEZING COLD!

However, my 2 older mindees are busy in a world of their own making, and so much chat going on, that i am not interrupting! I love being able to give them time to just 'play' by themselves. I think it is very important that they can occupy themselves without an adult having to give constant instruction or support. They have periodically come to me to untangle as pull along creature, or open a box, but other than that, I have been sitting downloading photos from my phone to laptop to photo printers! I'm now going to have a HOT cup of tea!


I've had a couple of parents ask what my 'rules' will be on covid now! ... what is anyone else doing?
Currently - if any member of the household has covid, I don't want their child!
However, as testing becomes less, i'm not sure if people will KNOW they have it! I'm thinking that I'll be saying 48 hours clear for D & V, don't send child if child has temp/under the weather/requires medication to get through the day. An older child ( age 2 plus ) needs to be capable of walking a 30 minute round trip to school twice a day, and to be out and about exploring/walking during the day to be well enough to attend! an under 2, also needs to be 'ready' to join in with the day, with appropriate activities and not to sleep all day/need to be cuddled. Please inform me if you HAVE given medication before dropping off, and for what reason! ( and WHEN ). to be honest ... exactly what my 'rules' were before!
DO I still say, if Covid in your house, don't send child? they are allowed to school, and local preschool, but not local day nursery currently.

any thoughts? xx

[Mouse]

I’ve just gone back to my pre-covid sickness policy, but I am enforcing it more strictly. In the past I’ve had children here who have spent all day lying on the sofa, doing nothing. I’ve tried to stress to parents that I’m not here to nurse ill children so won’t be doing that anymore.

Apart from one family, all the others started after March 2020, so haven’t been here during ‘normal’ times and don’t know what it was like pre-covid. I’m hoping that means I can crack down on illness now and not let them drift into bad habits :laughing:

I will now accept children if a family member has suspected covid, just as I would accept them if a family member had chicken pox or D&V. I’ll just be quicker to exclude them if they start showing signs of being ill.

[Dragonfly]

I think I’ll just wear a Hazmat suit and mask or I’ll just keep away from children altogether!!!

It’s a hard one, like Loocyloo says she doesn’t want a child at hers if a family member has Covid, neither do I panic!

It’s a really hard one isn’t . Parents are well known to send a child dosed up with calpol or like to a Childminder/ nursery then the child becomes unwell once medication wears off.I have a chart which states a illness down one side and the time you are required to keep the child away from my setting. Some follow it some instant lose it !

Is anyone on here still testing? Who wears a mask out and about?

[Mouse]

I think I’ll just wear a Hazmat suit and mask or I’ll just keep away from children altogether!!!

It’s a hard one, like Loocyloo says she doesn’t want a child at hers if a family member has Covid, neither do I panic!

It’s a really hard one isn’t . Parents are well known to send a child dosed up with calpol or like to a Childminder/ nursery then the child becomes unwell once medication wears off.I have a chart which states a illness down one side and the time you are required to keep the child away from my setting. Some follow it some instant lose it !

Is anyone on here still testing? Who wears a mask out and about?

I was wearing a mask until recently but I’ve pretty much stopped now. I’ve still got one in my handbag and I do wear it in certain situations. I’ve had covid twice now and it just doesn’t worry me anymore.

[Dragonfly]

Wish it didn’t bother me. I got it ( before testing began) and that was horrible right at the beginning. I also got it January this year and that was not nice also and I felt drained for about 3-4 weeks so I’m really cautious. Having said that my husband goes to the pub once a week and my adult sons who obviously live else where don’t where masks when out and about and visit me so I could pick it up from all them.

Wish I was relaxed about it.

[Pixie dust]

Dragonfly I still wear my mask when I am out shopping etc but I am in the minority now. I have been very lucky and have avoided it so far. Family members have had and like you they have been so tired for weeks.

I am now back to my pre covid illness policy, like others have said now we don't have to test we don't know who actually has it or not. One of the children I look after was coughing really badly last week, mum assured me she was testing them and it was negative. I have an older one I take to school who often says on the walk up to school they had Calpol that morning. I say the same that the children must be able to join in with our daily routine including walking to school am/pm.

On a positive note I have had a lovely weekend visiting DS1 and his partner, I am looking forward to having the alarm switched off for the week :)

[Dragonfly]

Hope you enjoyed your weekend pixie dust. And well done for avoiding covid, how lucky is that.

It’s a wet cold day here today, we have made Easter biscuits as one child is term-time only so off for two weeks after this week.

May venture out this afternoon.In my Hazmat !!