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Win £250 in Cash and 12 months Childcare.co.uk gold membership
WIN £250 in Cash and 12 months Childcare.co.uk gold membership!
The Childminding Forum has been growing so fast that we now have over 25,000 members!
To say thank you to all of our members for their help in making this the biggest online meeting place for registered childminders on the planet, we're going to give one lucky member an amazing £250 in cash and 5 runner-up prizes of 12 months Childcare.co.uk gold membership worth £99.99 each - a total prize package value of nearly £750!
To enter the competition all you need to do is tell us what you like best about the Childminding Forum as a reply to this thread.
The competition ends at 11pm on Saturday 3rd August 2013
Good luck and thank you
Richard, Pauline, Graham , Sarah, Angel, Tina and Rick
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Oh my word I am the first one to post.
Where do I start? I discovered this site in 2008 when I was searching for info on the 'new' EYFS. Golly doesn't that seem a long way away now.
Well in that time I have had a lot of fun, been to a few fab parties, shared and gained a huge amount of information which has more than helped my practice, how did I manage during all those years before?
Best of all I have made some amazing friends. I remember 4 + years ago arranging to meet a Forum member at Victoria Station to travel to the Design Centre for the Early years Show when she wasn't confident or sure about travelling across London. Golly my teenage daughter gave me merry hell for meeting someone I didn't know off the internet Well Jen wasn't that bad!!! I have met up with her and many others on numerous occasions over the years, we have put the world and childminding to rights, we have shared fantastic ice creams and had lots of fun.
You have all created a wonderful place for support in those bad and worrying times, help and advise amazing.
Thank you all. Pauline for having the idea, Angel and Sarah and Graham for helping her to make it in to something so amazing and now Ricard for helping it to continue.
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I like that Ii may not have childminder friends in the real world, but boy have i got alot of virtual buddies who understand exactly how I feel no matter the business/personal situation I am going through.
I would also like to pass on my thanks from my mindees because without this fourm they wouldnt have the passionate and fun loving childminder that they have today
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What an amazing competition.
I have only been registered since dec 2012. I was a little worried about working alone and no one to bump heads with and share ideas as i have been used to the past 10 yrs as a nusery nurse. When i so happened to stuble accross the forum i think it was even on my birthday too
It helped support me through my pre reg making me feel ready and confident and also being there for others in the same boat. Its fab for making new friends. Ok online ones. And i have a picture in ny head of each person looks like which is prob nothing like they do in real life. I love how i dont feel so alone. That if i have a day i need a hug its here i vent. If i wanna scream and shout about someyhin fab its here i share it. Everyone is so caring and supportive and there are some amazing people on here who have helped through such a hard time for me. so thx thanks for all the hard work u guys do. It makes me feel like i work in a huge organisation and not on my own and without this forum. In the hard times i would havr gave up and thrown in the towel. But this forum supports me. Lifts me up when im down. Gives advice when i cant think straight and also inspires me to be the best i can
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I log onto this this forum several times a day and love to read about other people's days, situations, questions and advice and it's not always childminding related. I never phone Ofsted for claification - just post on here. People seem to know more on here than Ofsted do!
Its a great place to visit
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Fast, friendly and reliable responses.. always manage to get an answer here
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I've been using this forum for years 1st of all ad a quite reader but now love to get involved
I have no real support where I am or cm friends to help me out so paperwork can be a struggle of which this forum is a god send anything I'm stuck on you can type in and come up with answer or some kind or help or any questions I have asked have always been answered with help or some idea of where to look or what to do
It is lovely to know strangers can be so helpful and we all stick together
What's even better is the app as I am on my phone on and off all day long
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If I delete my name from Richards post at the beginning ...
Does that mean I can enter ?
You lucky lot being in with a chance of winning that
Jealous.com ha ha
Thank you to Richard for being so generous
Angel xxxx
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Originally Posted by
angeldelight
If I delete my name from Richards post at the beginning ...
Does that mean I can enter ?
You lucky lot being in with a chance of winning that
Jealous.com ha ha
Thank you to Richard for being so generous
Angel xxxx
Delete mine too and we will go halves
Richard its a fabulous competition thank you
When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door
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I find childminding to be a very lonely job and sometimes I feel like I am completely on my own. That is until I come on the forum where everyone is so friendly and no question is ever a silly question.
Over the past 4 years I have gained what feels like a forum of friends. Although I don't personally know members of this forum, it doesn't matter because it's like family, no problem is ever too small and your all only a click away.
If it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't be doing the job I love XXXXXXXX
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What a fantastic competition! Well I won the last one so I suppose I'd better let someone else win this one :-)
All moderators will have a hand in who wins so make it as descriptive as you can! I don't want to see any sob stories how you never win anything. Maybe you will this time....make it good :-)
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The best thing about this Forum is all the brilliant knowledge, experience, guidance, general help & lovely people.
From the day I decided to become a Childminder I have used the forum on a regular basis. I had some great advise when studying & then brilliant guidance on the whole Ofsted process. I love all the free resources too I also love that the forums are available on the IPhone & IPad apps, very handy
The forum is simply invaluable. X
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This is as really friendly forum and a definitely go to place of you have any question, when like me you are a new childminder and its all a little overwhelming.
Through reading posts on her I feel like I am fully prepared for when I start childminding in September. I'm not sure I would be any where near as prepared as I am without this place.
Viki
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Being self employed and a 'lone worker', I found childminding very lonely the first time round. Now I have returned to childminding the members of this forum have been there every step of the way for support, guidance, and help getting up to speed with all the new changes. It's been a life line and I hope to be able to offer new members in the future the same support I have received!
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What I love is that there is always someone here that can support, help and care, whether it is a problem with work, practice, parents, children, neighbours, our own families, inspections, personal circumstances. Everyone on here may never meet every other in person but they are the most fantastic friends you can find.
If I am feeling down I can come on here and someone will start me smiling (or crying with laughter about vajazzles in party bags). If I am stressed someone will show concern and offer ways to solve the problem. Even if I do not post I always check in here every day I can. Even when I only had a PC in a freezing attic and had to wear coat and gloves and wipe condensation from the screen I would always come here because I know my virtual friends are here.
The knowledge of everyone combined (even the newbies and pre-reg even though they wont believe it yet) will raise the spirits and support the others.
We can laugh together, cry together, share ideas, give and ask for advice.
Together we are strong - together we can do anything
Thank you for the fantastic competition xxx
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I love being able to share ideas about implementing the EYFS as when you work on your own there is no one to bounce ideas off, it's also great to help people who have been in the same boat as you by offering advice. I couldn't be a CM without the forum x
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When you ask a question someone has the answer or if not can recommend a site to view. Every childminder goes through difficult decisions daily and having the forum their is perfect to seek advice. I found the forum excellent when starting out and still read reviews from others which are interesting and helpful. Every day is a challenge and having the forum has been absolutely great! Would recommend to any childminder!
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Boy I'm struggling today. I think I've figured out how to reply to the OP if not then it'll be obviously in the wrong place
Originally I accessed the forum via my laptop but then when it wasn't playing very nice anymore I discovered I could also access it via the iPad Big plus. Or it was until my daughter just borrowed it and I've resorted back to the laptop(now repaired and doing as it's told ) I've forgot how to navigate the forum on the laptop, the iPad seems so much easier. Well except when trying to locate resources. Perhaps they're only available on the laptop version.
Anyway, I've digressed enough, my story:
I discovered this forum when I was doing the pre-reg. I can't recall what landed me exactly, might have been via a roundabout trip following a link, possibly from Sarah's blog. I think I hung around in the background watching/reading for a while but as I'm normally chatty I found myself joining in. I tend to have quieter periods, as we all probably do, when I'm busy with something.
What makes me return:
- Updates on what's happening in the world of childminding. Especially during those periods I find I've dropped out of the loop when I've been busy.
- Amusing stories or posts. There are a few comics in here at times. Helpful when you just need a laugh after a stressful day.
- Speaking of stress. It's a great place to let everything out without being judged, for the main part. I add that as I know sometimes messages are misunderstood or people may inadvertantly cross the line but hey everyone's human and people normally apologise if they cause upset.
- Useful ideas, suggestions, general inspiration when you find yourself lacking.
I'm sure I could go on but with (my own) 2 and 3 year olds presently causing nucleur fallout around my ankles I guess I ought to admit defeat and get them to bed.
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Wow what a great competition, thank you so much
I found the Forum by pure chance and haven't looked back since joining. It's helped me not only with my Childminding business but also with my personal life too. I know no matter how long I leave it between visits to the Forum everyone is so welcoming and helpful. I've met a whole heap of new and wonderful friends, people I would never have met if it wasn't for the Forum so for this I thank you.
So even if I don't win this wonderful prize, I feel I've won anyway with all the friends I've made
Carol xx
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The best thing about the site is knowing there is always someone there for you. Whether something simple or the most worrying thing. Childminding related or not I know I can always start a thread on here and get positive and/or constructive comments. Lots of genuinely lovely people.
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