Is it time... HELP

**step11** · 07-05-2013, 03:42 PM

It keeps going round and round and round in my head. I'm not enjoying this job as much I thought I would all this paper work is putting me off been doing it since November last year.

I'm really considering giving up but don't want to let anyone down.

It's driving me mad... HELP!!!

**christine e** · 07-05-2013, 04:08 PM

How long have you been feeling like this?

**Rick** · 07-05-2013, 04:12 PM

Is there any way you could trim down your paperwork....are you doing more than you need?

Paperwork is everyone's bug bear of this job but if you are enjoying actually having the children then stick it out. Maybe you will become more efficient at the paperwork the more you do it?

**step11** · 07-05-2013, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by christine e

How long have you been feeling like this?

For a while now.

**step11** · 07-05-2013, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Rick_Knight

Is there any way you could trim down your paperwork....are you doing more than you need?

Paperwork is everyone's bug bear of this job but if you are enjoying actually having the children then stick it out. Maybe you will become more efficient at the paperwork the more you do it?

I don't do more than I need to I keep it simple. It's just im behind on everything. I'm having to spend my evenings doing it by the end if the day I'm exhausted. Iv just been diagnosed with depression again so it makes everything alot harder than it should be. My house looks like a bomb has hit it haha. I hate all this cooking I'm having to do its taking up my time and most days my 13 month old mindee doesn't eat it.

**sarah707** · 07-05-2013, 04:48 PM

Look at what changes you can make - ask parents to provide food, do paperwork in the day when the children are playing, get a cleaner...

Hugs xx

**kellyskidz!** · 07-05-2013, 04:49 PM

I'd probably stop or take a break if I was you, it's not worth getting depressed over. It's supposed to be a fun job, where you can work to suit you (even though we all get stressed and have bad days)
You need to ask yourself if the bad days are outweighing the good, because if they are then it's probably time for a big change or to stop cm'ing.
Also if you are depressed it will show and the children you care for may be affected, which isn't good.
Maybe having a week off may help?
Sending hugs and hope you make a decision which is right for you xx

**step11** · 07-05-2013, 05:27 PM

I don't show it during work. It's in the evenings when everyone is gone. I feel like my son is missing out a bit as most of my attention is on mindees and he's starting to act up.

I do have a cleaner who comes on a Saturday. I was thinking about asking parents to provide lunch at least.

I have a holiday coming up in July for 11 days. Looking forward to it.

**hectors house** · 07-05-2013, 08:41 PM

Have you got lots of part time mindees? - I have 7 different children over 4 days, so find even if I only do one observation each week on each child, that is still 7 a week, 28 a month - I am so behind on writing up my observations - I keep slogging away at them but always seem to be 3 months behind - don't even mention accounts - think I have only done up to Nov last year!

I try to have a dedicated time eg a Monday evening when my husband is out to do childminding paperwork and I try to stick to this otherwise I would be even further behind. Could you get up half an hour earlier in the morning for a week to try to catch up that way - believe me it is easier to get out of bed earlier now it is lighter.

Can you cut back on some of your mindees and then you could spend more time with your own child? - this is probably the vision you had when you registered - try to balance the scales a little to see if that helps.

**jadavi** · 07-05-2013, 09:51 PM

Have you got an iPhone?

2Simple early years is a free app that has transformed my obs writing and links it to development matters by ticks then you send it to yourself to print out. Before - obs took half an hour long hand, now it's five minutes and more thorough.

This might help you get on top.. I do mine in bed before I get up. I look at the photos I took on my
Phone the day before and select one for the obs. It's stuck in mindee's book before the end of the day.

**Rick** · 08-05-2013, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by jadavi

Have you got an iPhone?

2Simple early years is a free app that has transformed my obs writing and links it to development matters by ticks then you send it to yourself to print out. Before - obs took half an hour long hand, now it's five minutes and more thorough.

This might help you get on top.. I do mine in bed before I get up. I look at the photos I took on my
Phone the day before and select one for the obs. It's stuck in mindee's book before the end of the day.

Similarly I use Orbit Early Years and as above I can simply print out obs and stick in learning journal, never seems quite so much if a chore and I never get behind (other than actually sitting down and sticking the printouts in)