View Full Version : Jax Childminding - blogging my journey to registration
This is my new blog, where I am writing about my thoughts, feelings, decisions, and experiences as I go through the registration process. I have also added a resources section, my 'to-do' list, and will be adding an inspirations section. I hope it will become a valuable tool for me to keep organised and reflect, and also a good resource of information for others on the same journey, eventually becoming a blog about childminding itself with lots of activities and ideas :)
http://jaxchildminding.wordpress.com/
Pixie dust
16-04-2011, 12:53 PM
I found your comments very interesting regarding the EYFS. Can I ask how well you actually know the EYFS as it is based around children and their interests. It is not really that structured in my opinion. I find it flexible and looks about providing a stimulating environment for the children to learn in.
I found your comments very interesting regarding the EYFS. Can I ask how well you actually know the EYFS as it is based around children and their interests. It is not really that structured in my opinion. I find it flexible and looks about providing a stimulating environment for the children to learn in.
Not very well i'll be honest, and I do need to do a lot of reading before I decide how to approach it. The issue I have is with the need for any kind of educational stage for children under 5, regardless of how child centred it is. :) I personally believe that children should be allowed to be children and not have all these boxes that need to be ticked. Any obvious issues will become clear without the need for all of this. Just my opinion though, and an opinion that I will allow myself to change as I learn more :D
Pixie dust
16-04-2011, 01:37 PM
I think once you have learnt a bit more about the EYFS you will see it is not what you think . It is not meant to be a tick list Ofsted are against this but again everybody interprets it differently.
Yes we have to observe and plan but it should be in the children's best interests. It is not about learning to count, colours and writing it is so much more than that.
As you say everyone has their own opinions and I understand where you are coming from.
Good luck with your registration and enjoy :thumbsup:
I think once you have learnt a bit more about the EYFS you will see it is not what you think . It is not meant to be a tick list Ofsted are against this but again everybody interprets it differently.
Yes we have to observe and plan but it should be in the children's best interests. It is not about learning to count, colours and writing it is so much more than that.
As you say everyone has their own opinions and I understand where you are coming from.
Good luck with your registration and enjoy :thumbsup:
Thanks :) I'm sure you're right and I will appreciate its value once I learn more about it, and if not - well I'm sure I can find a way of incorporating it into my childcare that satisfies its requirements, while not compromising my own beliefs :thumbsup:
Mouse
16-04-2011, 03:31 PM
I think you'll find that EYFS isn't at all like you imagine it to be and that your ideas for the children aren't quite as "alternative" as you think they are. There are many childminders who have very similar views on parenting and engaging children, and this fits in very well with the fundamental ideas of EYFS - it's all about following children's interests and going with the flow.
The paperwork side of it can be daunting, but there is actually very little that you HAVE to have in writing. If you can manage without it, don't do it.
Observations/next steps etc don't need to be written down and they don't need to be formal. It's something that most parents/childminders do automatically - you see a baby starting to crawl (there's an observation), so you set some toys out a little further away to encourage him to crawl to them. It can be as simple as that - you observed something and you planned for the next steps. It's definitely not about planning a formal education for them :thumbsup:
As for your comment "it’s not as easy as babysitting anymore", I would say that childminding has NEVER been babysitting :panic: It hasn't changed just because of the introduction of EYFS. It's always been much more than that :D
Good luck with blog. I'm sure it'll be very interesting for you to look back on and see how your thoughts and ideas change.
I think you'll find that EYFS isn't at all like you imagine it to be and that your ideas for the children aren't quite as "alternative" as you think they are. There are many childminders who have very similar views on parenting and engaging children, and this fits in very well with the fundamental ideas of EYFS - it's all about following children's interests and going with the flow.
The paperwork side of it can be daunting, but there is actually very little that you HAVE to have in writing. If you can manage without it, don't do it.
Observations/next steps etc don't need to be written down and they don't need to be formal. It's something that most parents/childminders do automatically - you see a baby starting to crawl (there's an observation), so you set some toys out a little further away to encourage him to crawl to them. It can be as simple as that - you observed something and you planned for the next steps. It's definitely not about planning a formal education for them :thumbsup:
As for your comment "it’s not as easy as babysitting anymore", I would say that childminding has NEVER been babysitting :panic: It hasn't changed just because of the introduction of EYFS. It's always been much more than that :D
Good luck with blog. I'm sure it'll be very interesting for you to look back on and see how your thoughts and ideas change.
Its irrelevant now anyway because I have just discovered EYFS isnt in Wales, it's just the 'Foundation Stage' which isnt compulsory in Wales for childminders. :o
Note to self: Thoughts and observations made on a public blog should be cleary marked as simply sounding out my own thoughts as they happen.
Thanks for your comments though - and yes, i'm well aware childminding is nothing like babysitting. That was a tongue in cheek comment about the sheer amount of paperwork and checks that when taken out of context looks very ignorant! Not meant that way atall. :D
Mouse
16-04-2011, 03:43 PM
Its irrelevant now anyway because I have just discovered EYFS isnt in Wales, it's just the 'Foundation Stage' which isnt compulsory in Wales for childminders. :o
:D
lol! Oh well, that's one less worry then :D
There are a lot of childminders on here from Wales, so I'm sure they'd be able to offer you some very good tips.
As you go through the registration process and start working, you'll understand why childminders get defensive about the "babysitting" tag. You put so much into your businesss and do so much for the children, that it gets very tiresome when some people insist on asking if you're still doing your "little babysitting job"! Believe me, it happens a lot!
lol! Oh well, that's one less worry then :D
There are a lot of childminders on here from Wales, so I'm sure they'd be able to offer you some very good tips.
As you go through the registration process and start working, you'll understand why childminders get defensive about the "babysitting" tag. You put so much into your businesss and do so much for the children, that it gets very tiresome when some people insist on asking if you're still doing your "little babysitting job"! Believe me, it happens a lot!
Yes I can imagine that would get very tiresome! Sorry if I caused any offence :o
I have been informed 'flutterbyes childminding' already exists as a name (I couldnt find it on Companies house which is why i thought it ok to use) so I have changed my blog address and name to Jax Childminding.
PLEASE NOTE: Jax Childminding is NOT a business name, I have no idea if it exists as such, it is purely my name (Jax) and a label for my blog until I think of a name.
I cant edit the 1st post so have asked a mod to do so.
Thanks :)
Mouse
19-04-2011, 08:30 AM
That's a shame. Who told you you couldn't use the name? There are lots of childminders and nurseries across the country who have the same name. As long as they don't own the name I thought anyone could use it? If it was someone minding in the same town/village as you I can see it would be a problem, but not if it's from someone in another part of the country.
Of course, I could be completely wrong :blush: :p :laughing:
I had a pm from a member here with that name. I am gutted as its a fab name with personal significance but at the end of the day I cant be bothered with the hassle of proving I can use it on top of everything else I need to do :) It's definitely not local! x
Winnie
19-04-2011, 01:19 PM
I think there is a flutterbyes on the forum, maybe you could be Jax Flutterbyes? or Jax Little Flutterbyes (if you want to keep flutterbyes that is :D ) I dont think many childminders register with companies house, probably better to google any name you fancy and see if someone is using it.
Mouse
19-04-2011, 01:28 PM
I had a pm from a member here with that name. I am gutted as its a fab name with personal significance but at the end of the day I cant be bothered with the hassle of proving I can use it on top of everything else I need to do :) It's definitely not local! x
I googled the name and found a Flutterbyes and a Flutterbys...perhaps you could be Flutterby or Flutterbye?
I was thinking maybe flutterbees as there is lots of bees about too lol! Or butterbees, or even just butterflies or some other concoction :D
Thanks for the suggestions :)
jadavi
19-04-2011, 03:42 PM
Hi Jax, I have just read your blog and was interested by the attachment parenting and home education etc, I was the same - my life changed when I read the Continuum Concept 16 years ago and I home educated my 4 following her principles and it was the best thing I ever did.
I also share your feeling of only wanting to child mind those with a similar parenting philosophy. However....by the very nature of the beast (expression lol ) parents are leaving their children for other people to look after so the very concept of attachment parenting, self weaning etc is almost not possible from the basic set up of mum /dad needing to work and handing kids over to you..
However that said i think it would be a tremendous relief for a parent following those principles as far as possible to find a child minder of like mind. I would love to find a non coercive home educating family (like mine was) I can look after while parents work but expect it's much more likely to find more mainstream mindees whose family's philosophy I can find a way of working with...otherwise I think we wouldn't get much work at all - and like another person said - these ideas are becoming more and more generally accepted anyway for the very young. I also feel it's really important to listen to the parents in order to be able to work with them effectively and not give the child conflicting messages.
I also am just starting out and it worries me too as I am very liberal and into conflict resolution etc where other parents may be of the 'because i say so' ilke. To be honest I was going to keep quiet about my non coercive beliefs because frankly it scares the pants of a lot of parents who think that translates into screaming monsters and Lord of the Flies land... Luckily a lot of what I've read on this forum seems to suggest that perhaps its not so radical after all but I have to see that to believe it.
I tried to put this in a comment on your blog but it didn't seem to work so decided to put it on here instead.... here's hoping it doesn't open a can of worms!!
jac (same name ha!)
Hi Jac, thanks for the comments! Yes I loved the continuum concept, makes so much sense :)
I suspect it may not be as easy as I would like to find parents who are of similar irk as you quite rightly point out - I have found though a lot of attachment parents I know irl and online do have to go back to work atleast part-time, as much as they would love not to have to, and are crying out for childminders who will atleast be willing to wear their baby to sleep, to understand the principles of baby-led weaning and other child led principles. I'd be happy with 2 or 3 part-timers a week to be honest :D
For those who have not come across the term 'attachment parenting' - it does not suggest other parents are not attached to their children, its just a term used to describe parenting in a physically attached way - ie baby wearing, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping etc. It's not meant to critisize any other parenting methods as 'unattached' :)
It is difficult to know how much detail to go into on a site such as this for fear of unintentionally insulting other parents and/or minders - as I have found is usually the case any time parenting methods are discussed online *good vibes*