Happy New Year!

[Mouse]

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you’ve all had a good Christmas and New Year.

I’ve had a very busy but great time. It seems to have been non-stop from before Christmas Eve till today. I’ve got the rest of the week off work though so I’m hoping to have a bit of quiet time. It’ll be nice to out my feet up

[Pixie dust]

Happy New Year too!

We had a very similar sounding Christmas/New Year as we had various family visiting and staying everyday between Christmas and New Year so it was very different for us, I normally have a couple of chilled days in-between Christmas and New Year where I watch a movie eating Christmas chocolates. Yesterday the last house guests left and the decorations were put away then my husband and I looked at each other and said how quiet it was with just the two of us


I am back to work today and it was shock when the alarm went off this morning, to be fair I have been waking up at the same time over the holidays but it was nice knowing that I didn't have to get up and enjoy a slow start to the day. I have a quiet couple of days then term starts on Thursday here so we will back on the school runs.

Enjoy the rest of your time off Mouse and anyone else who is still off.

[loocyloo]

Happy New Year to you all.

We had a good, but busy Christmas catching up with people.

I'm back at work tomorrow, and am spending today getting straight! Got a busy few days, but not planning on doing much .. just getting the children outside into the wood etc. School starts back next week, so bracing myself for a busy time!

my phone has decided to do, what seems to be a major update, and everything everything has changed, so i need to sit and look at it, and fiddle around till i have things back where/how i like them! GRRRR!

[Maza]

Happy new year!

We've still got the decs and tree up - anyone else? We'll take them down tomorrow, on the 6th.

Well, that's week one back at work done and dusted! It was a decent week really. One of my older ones left at Christmas, and although I'll miss him terribly, he was stuck with babies/toddlers, and so I had to set up activities just for him. It now feels like less work having just the one age group to set up for for the majority of the week.

Hope you are all back in the swing of things!

[Pixie dust]

Morning!

We take our decorations down on the 1st Jan as I like to get everything all tidy before getting back to work. I had a quiet couple of days then Thursday was back to normal. I don't work Fridays so was a short week working week for me. I did go food shopping yesterday and was surprised how many children were about but then realised that they hadn't gone back to school yet. I live near a county boarder and the two counties do not follow the same term dates.

My current bunch are now all 3 so it's lovely most of the time I will be losing 3 to school in September so no doubt there will be a couple of little ones here again then.

Maza are you ready to start the EYPDP next week as you did say you got a place didn't you ?

[Mouse]

It was my first day back working today and I'm shattered! I had a bit of a lazy week last week, so it was a bit of a shock to my system! Luckily the children all came in happily and were excited to be back with their friends. Apart from it making the day a bit noisy and manic, it was lovely that they all played so happily together.

[Maza]

Morning!

We take our decorations down on the 1st Jan as I like to get everything all tidy before getting back to work. I had a quiet couple of days then Thursday was back to normal. I don't work Fridays so was a short week working week for me. I did go food shopping yesterday and was surprised how many children were about but then realised that they hadn't gone back to school yet. I live near a county boarder and the two counties do not follow the same term dates.

My current bunch are now all 3 so it's lovely most of the time I will be losing 3 to school in September so no doubt there will be a couple of little ones here again then.

Maza are you ready to start the EYPDP next week as you did say you got a place didn't you ?

Yes, I have started. I did the first unit tonight. I'm doing my webinars on Monday evenings. Have you started?

[Pixie dust]

It was my first day back working today and I'm shattered! I had a bit of a lazy week last week, so it was a bit of a shock to my system! Luckily the children all came in happily and were excited to be back with their friends. Apart from it making the day a bit noisy and manic, it was lovely that they all played so happily together.

I was shattered too last night even though I started back last week

[Pixie dust]

Yes, I have started. I did the first unit tonight. I'm doing my webinars on Monday evenings. Have you started?

No I haven't looked at the unit yet as was so tired last night ! I am doing my webinars on a Tuesday night ...I looked on the Facebook group to see who else is in the group as everyone was asking who was in which group but only 2 people have commented they are in the group so I will have to wait and see next week

[loocyloo]

I keep being harassed by my LA to sign up and do the course. And whilst it sounds interesting, i really don't have the time, or in reality, the inclination to do it!

First 'proper' day back today ... it appears that none of the little ones had anything approaching their usual routine over the holidays, and parents all wondered why no one wanted to go to bed last night/ get up today etc! Fine once they were here and through the door but it was a painful morning for drop offs!!!

[Maza]

I enjoyed the first module last night, but I was glad when I got to the end. I'm sure some weeks will be really tricky to fit it in, especially when we have a webinar to attend too. My first aid is up in a few months too, so that will be a busy time!

Have you all watched the post office drama on itv? It's a really 'good', but shocking watch. We also watched 'Man Up' - the show about Viagra. That was really good too. DD and I are very excited that Traitors is back!

[Mouse]

I enjoyed the first module last night, but I was glad when I got to the end. I'm sure some weeks will be really tricky to fit it in, especially when we have a webinar to attend too. My first aid is up in a few months too, so that will be a busy time!

I’m on my second term now and we’re on to the maths module. The webinars are every other week for this module, rather than weekly. I thought that would be better, but it means doing 2 online learning sessions beforehand. That should be easy enough ( one a week) unless you leave it all till the last minute and have to try completing 2 units the night before the webinar

[loocyloo]

I messaged childcare.co this morning, because the forum was down, and had been for a while. Richard replied to say it was up again, but software etc running forum is old and not many people use it!

Well i think we know that! Seems to be a very small and select group of us!
I can't join Facebook group as i don't have my own account, and i don't think DH would appreciate me joining under his name Its a shame that a childminder business page can't join! (My business page is linked to DHs account!)
Anyway ... I'm feeling that the forum may be on borrowed time now

[Maza]

Didn't mean to 'like' your post loocyloo, because I don't! It made me sad. I love this forum and missed it so much when I couldn't get on for a few months last year. I also noticed that it was down and got a bit worried. This forum is unique and very special.

On a different note, I sent out my holiday dates for Easter last week. I have just received a message from a mum (several days after I had sent them out) saying that it clashed with a skiing holiday that she wants to go on (without her children) and was I able to change my dates. I don't want to change my dates, and I won't, but I am feeling a bit cross now that I will be made to feel like the bad guy. There's always something with this this particular family. Wish I could afford to go skiing!

[loocyloo]

I know what you mean Maza. I sometimes like something, not because i like it but need/want to acknowledge it!

Please don't change your dates! Say sorry, but these are my dates! some parents!
I too, wish i could afford to go skiing ... actually, i don't want to do actual skiing, but to go away and have some time in the alps or where ever would be nice. ( I used to go skiing as a child, and loved it - did all the runs etc. Went skiing in Australia ( !!! yes really! in Mountains near Canberra ) in my early 20's and had a 'moment' of sheer terror on an easy run and forgot how to ski, and although i've skied once since then ( 20 plus years ago ), in scotland, i stuck to nursery slopes, and nothing could induce me to get back on ski's ever again!

[Pixie dust]

Oh I thought it was my computer playing up when I couldn't get on the forum It will be sad if it goes as this I feel this little community is so supportive, everyone is friendly and willing to help. It's like a warm hug



Maza I think parents think that we are at there beck and call, I think they feel that we work for them and have to do what they say I have got better at saying 'no' as the years have gone by.



I have started to get quite a few enquires from parents who can have the new funding from Easter but unfortunately I have no availability until September. We haven't had the final hourly rate from our LA yet but they want copies of updated policies and invoices to update our funding agreement, if they don't like our policies we have to change the wording which I don't think it right as they are our policies.

Anyway enjoy the weekend what ever you are up to, I am having a quiet one.

[loocyloo]

Ooo Pixie ... that doesn't sound good if you have to change things in your policies!

I'm still waiting for information about how much the funding will be, but have warned all current parents hoping to use it, that they may need to pay a 'session' fee as well. I've told them all, that they need to be on top of making sure their codes are valid etc, as i won't be chasing for them, and if they are not valid, they will be liable for all fees for that term. I have a funding agreement from LA that i have to use, but I'm going to add an additional section to state the above in words of one syllable!

[Mouse]

I messaged childcare.co this morning, because the forum was down, and had been for a while. Richard replied to say it was up again, but software etc running forum is old and not many people use it!

Well i think we know that! Seems to be a very small and select group of us!
I can't join Facebook group as i don't have my own account, and i don't think DH would appreciate me joining under his name Its a shame that a childminder business page can't join! (My business page is linked to DHs account!)
Anyway ... I'm feeling that the forum may be on borrowed time now

It would be a shame to lose this forum. I know I haven’t been as active lately so I’m trying to get back to posting more regularly.

Wouldn’t you consider setting up your own FB account Loocyloo? We could just transfer the chat here to a select FB group! I am a member of the main FB group, but rarely post on there as it’s just too big and busy.

[Maza]

Great idea Mouse!

[loocyloo]

I could try!

But something that always interests me, is the number of 'non members' or members that are apparently reading / searching posts without commenting.

Hello 'lurkers' ... come and say hello. We're all very friendly and chatty. (And none of us know each other in 'real' life!)