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  1. #1
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    Default Good afternoon

    Hello everyone, Another good day. Weather has got better as the day has gone on so now it’s nice and sunny and the children are happily playing Barbies.I know I’m not that keen but they like them and I have so many.


    What’s everyone up to today?

    We let our woolly bear caterpillar go today by the river. we have had all stages of a stag beetle in a tank in the garden. got to do a bit of gardening at the weekend then we will make a pile of rotten wood etc and put them under. Have larvae, pupae red beetle ( before it turns black) and black stag beetle.


    Have a good day.

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    Afternoon Dragonfly,


    The weather here is pretty grey. The children made an obstacle course out in the garden using all sorts of things slide/bricks/tunnel etc. I have had quite a busy morning with 5, the younger ones do enjoy having the older ones here in the holidays but it can be a bit crazy. Does anyone else have older ones too during the holidays and if so how many children do you normally have as I now limit it to 6, 3 little ones then 3 older ones as in the past it got a bit too much with the older ones and I felt it started impacting on the younger ones. I find that once the children reach year 6 they don't want to be here anymore and parents start preparing them for high school by giving them more independence.
    Pixie Dust

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    I usually have 3 young ones and one school one a sibling of a little one. Though had an ex mindee this holiday as she wanted to come back, 6 year old so two school ones .Had them all when they were a babies.

    Up until start of pandemic I had 14-15 children on books, but decided to give school ones a miss as they left to go to next school. I had year 6’s too but found them disruptive apart from the odd one or so.Had them from very young .Don't do a school run now either after about 24 years.

    Now have 6 - 7 on books. Much better as my life has got busier. I wonder how I done so many children sometimes! How did I entertain 7 children at anyone time! I did and they seemed happy children and parents. Unfortunately the year 6 girls used to fall out at school and would bicker after school. So wasn’t sorry when they went to next school.

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    Dragonfly what a fantastic experience for your children. They are so lucky.

    We have finally joined the National Trust this morning and so we went to our local one today. It was lovely - so much bigger and better than we expected. We didn't do the mansion, we'll save that for next time, but we had a lovely walk in the woods there, and I collected lots of sticks. You never switch off do you? Tomorrow is my last day off until Christmas, so I want to spend it wisely - but I'm not sure how yet.

    I don't do any school children.

    Dragonfly, have you got your head around funding now? (I'm sure it was you who started recently.) I've never done it but am thinking I might start as my full timer turns three soon and I would hate to lose him because of that.

    My other job for today is to order the new EYFS documents. I still can't decide where to get them from, and I so begrudge spending the money.

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    Maza I’ve only done the summer time funding. Obviously yet to do autumn. Just when I thought yes, I can do it ( printed out everything and I mean every step I done lol) parents I do funding for leave in November, going back to Where they used to live so now I’ve got to find out how I do the weeks they are going to be here and not full autumn term weeks.( I too became funded for this child but now I have done-it and they are leaving I’m a funded provider so hey ho)

    Early years said if they know what date they are leaving to put it down on next paff form and claim for those weeks ( didn’t tell me how ☹️) if they don’t know a date claim the whole term.
    Apparently you do a new paff form every term. Saying this as I believe a couple more on here do funding may help loocyloo,mouse, pixie dust?

    Maza when you have got all the paperwork for signing up to do funding it’s easier. I chose to apply and do it during the pandemic so made things bit more difficult for me. I’d say go for it.

    I paid out for new paper copy of EYFS and development matters, seems all pay out. They should be free shouldn’t they?

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    Thinking about it ( yes , thinking is hard!) say autumn term is 11 weeks and they will be here 8 weeks ( example) I probably put 8 weeks in on head count time? Anyone🤔

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    Evening!

    We went to our local zoo this morning, and then had one of the termtime only little ones to play this afternoon with mum and older siblings. It's not been cold, but I wouldn't say it was warm either!

    Dragonfly ... how amazing that you've had a stag beetle to watch! You're very brave! I couldn't!

    And funding.. I think each LA is different, but for me, when a child is leaving, I just email early years finance team and tell them, and they sort it out! I get paid monthly, so as long as they know about 4 weeks in advance, it usually gets sorted out without me being over paid and having to refund LA!

    Sounds like everyone has had great days.

    I aim to only have 6 children maximum a day in the holidays, and prefer it to just be my little ones, but as they grow up, they often carry on coming! but generally, I find the children that have been with me since babies are much more amenable to having the little ones around, than those that come as schoolies! I did get asked to have a pair of siblings 3&4 years, 4 days a week for the holidays, but I turned them down, as I didn't know them, didn't know anyone who knew them, and mum was asking 1 week into the holidays ... having 'just' realised she couldn't work with them at home. And when I asked what she usually did, I didn't get an answer! Decided I wanted an easy summer so said no!

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    Evening!

    We're back from a few days away. DH and I couldn't remember the last time we'd been away by ourselves. Even though our children are all grown up, we've always seemed to have at least one of them and their partner come away with us (probably because we pay for the accommodation!) It was lovely stopping in a hotel and not having to worry about anyone else
    I'm not back working until Monday so I've still got a few days of freedom.

    As for numbers of children, I only look after pre-school aged children so don't have any extra schoolies in the holidays. In fact my days are often quieter as my littlies usually each have a week off in the holidays. I'll have between 2-4 under 5s each day and that's enough for me!

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    Mouse glad you had a lovely time, a few days in hotel sounds heaven no cooking or cleaning

    Loocyloo all my older ones are little ones who just keep coming I have turned down a few new older ones over this last term , school hasn't been running the after school club parents have been desperate for care but I have kept strong and said no
    Pixie Dust

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    Just had my 2 grandsons today. Went out with CM friend and 3 girls. Had a lovely day at penshurst place. Think it’s the children’s and my favourite day out

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    Well done on staying strong Pixie!

    I wasn't going to take on any new schoolies .... but had one going into reception, and another 2 also going into reception on my waiting list, that actually, they would work well together and make my life easier as they could entertain each other! ( and the new ones are term time only )

    It could come back and bite me in a couple of years when they are still under 8 and I have others needing afterschool care, but I'll worry about that then!

 

 

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