time for paperwork, when?

**oakie dokie** · 07-01-2008, 10:18 AM

hi all, just a quickee, ihave just started with new baby , 8 months, i have another 11 months and one 22 months, when am i going to fit everything in? bought sarahs daily dairy, there is no way i will be able to do all and look after the babys, without neglecting them of couse. i have just a couple of mins to type this so its quite brief, intended following eyfs as from now but its going to be hard work, and i refuse to do it after they have gone home as i have my own 8 and 12 year old that need me then. help advise needed.

hazelx

**angeldelight** · 07-01-2008, 10:21 AM

I would be the wrong one to ask

I do not do half of what some of the others do

My paperwork is very very brief

I prefer to show what I do with pics and the childrens work so that is done daily or weekly anyway

I agree with you though why should you be doing paperwork in the evening when you work hard during the day time - plus you need time for your own family and the FORUM of course

Just keep it brief Hazel no need for heaps of writing / typing as long as you show you are doing stuff

Good luck

Anglel xx

**Sarsar3NCH** · 07-01-2008, 10:22 AM

I look forward to advice on this too, I feel exactly the same as hazel. I had planned on fully implementing EYFS this term but feel like I'm drowning, I can barely keep up with the basics (Iknow EYFS should be considered a basic but to me it seems a step too far at the mo as I haven't really embraced b23 properly)

Sarah

**sarah707** · 07-01-2008, 10:41 AM

I do most of mine in the evenings!

My first priority is the day's planning which I do the night before (or at the weekend if I'm very organised!); in the morning the first things I do are the morning safety checks... then in the day I write up the children's stuff during quiet times, so it's ready to go home...

I do everything else at night - but very briefly eg if I don't get written obs done one week, I shove a photo in instead!

I added the personal development stuff recently as the inspector got quite excited about that when she was here - she said it was good to see I was looking to the future... but even that is brief!

Remember you are a good childminder and you have a family to consider. Put those thoughts first... the rest develops gradually - I've been doing this 14 years!!

If you need anything else, let me know xx

**custardcream** · 07-01-2008, 12:35 PM

I am with Angel on this. I have never done any written planning, but have now devised my own simple weekly planning form, which hopefully I wont find too time consuming. This is all I do along with individual observation books which I also put pictures of the mindees playing and doing activities in and when they finish at my setting they can keep it as a nice keep sake.
I dont know if what I do is right but I simply hate paper work and much prefer to spend my time playing with the children, I know i probably should do more but it just isnt for me.

**angeldelight** · 07-01-2008, 01:06 PM

I know what you mean custardcream

My job is about caring and looking after children not spending every spare moment I have doing paper work

I happen to love paper work I do not mind it one bit - but I feel my job reflects more in the relationship that I have with the children through play etc and NOT through what paper work I do and do not have.

I do of course have all the paper work that I should have - you have seen a lot of what I did with the Birth to Three etc I just feel that a lot of new minders are lost when they THINK we should have this and that

If you keep everything basic and up to date then you do not have to spend your spare time or every evening on it

That is my view anyway

Angel xx

**custardcream** · 07-01-2008, 01:18 PM

Your birth to three stuff is great Angel and it helped me a lot, you really are a god send.
I have all the paper work that i should do, i think, but my planning is just very very basic and until they decide what it exactly is that we are expected to do for EYFS I will keep it that way.