Weekly chat Monday 21st February

Good morning all, on yet another very blustery day.

I do truly hope that everyone is keeping safe. We've had lots of flooded roads around us. I've got to take DD out later, but we're going to stick to driving on main roads, as I don't fancy all the 'cross country' routes.

Half term here. I'm off today as usual and then working 3 days. I've a few ideas and plans, but all very weather dependent! I'm running out of wind activities .... we've made streamers/kites and windmils to blow in the wind, we've used straws to blow random objects around and done straw painting! Any other suggestions?

Did anyone watch Call the Midwife last night? I was waiting for one of the main characters to leave, but thankfully, no one did. I thought the young girl playing Carol was brilliant, and her whole story was handled very well. I'm really hoping that she becomes 'adopted' into the family that helped at the end.

Stay safe and if you're back at school or on half term .. have fun.
:happy banana:

Good morning everyone!

I think the weather here today is worse than was all last week. Since yesterday there seems to be more damage to property, more trees down and we’ve got flood warnings in place, which doesn’t happen often. Yesterday DH and I went for a walk along the river and it was very high and fast flowing. I was laughing at the ducks floating past - they were zooming along! I wasn’t sure if they were intentionally going that fast, or if the water was just taking them, but they were certainly going at some speed!

This is our half term week and it’s looking like it’s going to be a quiet one for me. I’ve still got a child off with chicken pox, one is term time only and a couple are away for part of the week. It means I’ll get an extra day off and will have fewer children on the days I am working. Hopefully the weather will improve so we don’t have to play ‘dodge the flying debris’ while we’re out!

Evening!

We had a very windy walk to school this morning, we have stayed in all day as it's been quite windy and rainy, fingers crossed for some sunshine tomorrow. We had half term last week so it's back to normal for us.

Loocyloo I did watch Call the Midwife and like you I was expecting one of the major characters to be killed off but was happy with how it ended.

So just watched the news and have seen all the Covid updates that self isolation is finishing and free testing is to end, we no longer have to test twice weekly either. I am not sure how I feel about this.

Have a good week everyone, hopefully we all get some sunshine.

good morning all!

Well ... covid news is interesting isn't it? .. especially the part that childminders still have to close if there is a positive case of covid within the the childminders house/family, yet we can still welcome covid positive children into our homes ! BUT, if no one is testing , then how do you know someone is positive, and doesn't just have a cold, and therefore, like always, keeps themselves to themselves!

I am going to re-write my covid policy this week, once i've got my head round all the rules, but as i've always said DON'T send your child if they are ill, or not up to a usual busy day here, nothing much has changed. A friend has said that she is going to reiterate 'If they need medicine ( ie paracetamol/ibuprofen ) in the morning before coming, then please don't send them'. Which sounds great, and i might use, but I am worried that this will mean some parents won't say IF they have given their child any!

stay safe, warm and dry everyone, and have fun!

:happy banana: ( no reason for happy banana ... i just like him! )

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

:happy banana: ( no reason for happy banana ... i just like him! )

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I like happy banana! Today is my bonus day off so I feel the need for a happy banana dance :happy banana::clapping:

Last night I was following a discussion on social media about the new covid rules and how they might affect childminders. Some people said that if one of your own family got covid, they could still go to work/school, so would be out of the house, but you'd have to close! I don't know how accurate that is as I haven't actually read the new rules properly, but if it is true, it seems totally bizarre!

I think I'll probably just go back to my normal sickness policy but be firming in enforcing it. Along with the usual exclusion for D&V, I do say that children should be at home if they need extra attention that takes me away from caring for the other children. I've had children here before who haven't been sick, don't have a temperature or tummy upset, but who need a lot of attention - won't play, want to be cuddled all the time, generally upset. I've normally kept them here because they're not being sick, or whatever, but I know they would actually be better off at home. I'm going to reinforce to parents that I'm not here to look after unwell children and that if they need that level of care, they need to be at home.

It's still quite windy here, but I've been out in the garden this morning doing a bit of a clean up. I've realised the mud kitchen is looking a bit tatty, so I might nip out for some paint and give it a quick spruce up. I really don't like the look of the garden at this time of year. I have a lot of wooden stuff out there and it all looks dark and damp. I can't wait for it to dry out and brighten up!

Enjoy your days everyone :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Mouse

I like happy banana! Today is my bonus day off so I feel the need for a happy banana dance :happy banana::clapping:



I think I'll probably just go back to my normal sickness policy but be firming in enforcing it. Along with the usual exclusion for D&V, I do say that children should be at home if they need extra attention that takes me away from caring for the other children. I've had children here before who haven't been sick, don't have a temperature or tummy upset, but who need a lot of attention - won't play, want to be cuddled all the time, generally upset. I've normally kept them here because they're not being sick, or whatever, but I know they would actually be better off at home. I'm going to reinforce to parents that I'm not here to look after unwell children and that if they need that level of care, they need to be at home.

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YAY! Happy Banana!:happy banana:

I try to be firm with parents, but often they don't say anything and you don't become aware that a LO is under the weather until later on in the day! I often say to parents that if you don't think your child can cope with walking the school run, then please don't send them! ( this was after a mum of a 4 yr old told me i could put him in the buggy ! ... I said no ... I had 2 babies in the buggy and her child had to walk! )

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

YAY! Happy Banana!:happy banana:

I try to be firm with parents, but often they don't say anything and you don't become aware that a LO is under the weather until later on in the day! I often say to parents that if you don't think your child can cope with walking the school run, then please don't send them! ( this was after a mum of a 4 yr old told me i could put him in the buggy ! ... I said no ... I had 2 babies in the buggy and her child had to walk! )

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My current parents are pretty good and do usually keep the children at home if they're not well. There's only really one who pushes it. It's like you say, you often don't realise they're not well until they're in with you. I then just deal with them until home time. It's only afterwards I feel annoyed with myself for not having sent them home!

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Originally Posted by Mouse

My current parents are pretty good and do usually keep the children at home if they're not well. There's only really one who pushes it. It's like you say, you often don't realise they're not well until they're in with you. I then just deal with them until home time. It's only afterwards I feel annoyed with myself for not having sent them home!

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snap! !!!!

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Originally Posted by Mouse

My current parents are pretty good and do usually keep the children at home if they're not well. There's only really one who pushes it. It's like you say, you often don't realise they're not well until they're in with you. I then just deal with them until home time. It's only afterwards I feel annoyed with myself for not having sent them home!

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Most of mine are pretty good but one of my school ones announced the other morning they had had Calpol that morning. I think I am going to check over my illness policy just to make sure I have covered everything and to remind parents about keeping them home if they are ill.

Our mud kitchen needs a clean up too, I actually have the paint sitting in the shed waiting for me to do the job but it always seems to be to damp to to it.

We actually saw a bit of blue sky briefly today.:clapping:

Typical, my daughter has tested positive today...so close to the end :rolleyes:

She doesn't live at home, so there's no problem with me opening, but I was with her most of Sunday so I'll keep testing for the next few days. She's phoned her work, but no one seems to know whether or not she can go in from Thursday.

oh Mouse, Hope your DD is OK.

xxx

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

oh Mouse, Hope your DD is OK.

xxx

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She’s feeling quite rough today, poor thing! She says it’s much worse than the first time she had it so she’s sat at home watching TV and feeling sorry for herself.

Why is this week going so slowly? I was sure it was Thursday today!

The 12 month old has been keeping me on my toes today. He’s settled really well and is such a happy little chap, but he’s taken to squealing…constantly and very loudly! It’s a happy squeal, but it does start to go through you after a while. The other children have spent most of the day with their hands over their ears! We had a bit of a respite when he was eating, then when he had his sleep…a whole 15 minutes today :rolleyes: His mum phoned at 2.30 to say she’d finished work for the day so could she come and get him early. I said ‘yes please!’ :laughing: She says he’s the same at home with his squealing, though he sleeps for 2 hours in the day at home so she gets a decent break from it.

Tomorrow we’re off to the library for a half term activity session. I hope he’s not as loud there!

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Originally Posted by Mouse

She’s feeling quite rough today, poor thing! She says it’s much worse than the first time she had it so she’s sat at home watching TV and feeling sorry for herself.

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Hope she starts to feel better soon.

Hope your DD is feeling a bit better today Mouse. And hope the week is going ok for everyone.

It's freezing here today. I am wearing fingerless gloves inside today! My 8 month old has just this week starting sitting, which I think has made him a bit happier. He's not unhappy generally, just gets a bit of separation anxiety if I'm too far away.

So if we get covid symptoms or someone in our house does, we should close? But we can't test to see if it's covid? My kids can go to school with covid symptoms but I have to close? I'm hoping it becomes clearer at some point, because I'm confused!

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Originally Posted by Ellisha

Hope your DD is feeling a bit better today Mouse. And hope the week is going ok for everyone.

It's freezing here today. I am wearing fingerless gloves inside today! My 8 month old has just this week starting sitting, which I think has made him a bit happier. He's not unhappy generally, just gets a bit of separation anxiety if I'm too far away.

So if we get covid symptoms or someone in our house does, we should close? But we can't test to see if it's covid? My kids can go to school with covid symptoms but I have to close? I'm hoping it becomes clearer at some point, because I'm confused!

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It's been freezing here too!

Apparently the 'advice' is still to isolate for 5 days and then until 2 days of negative LFs ( but its not the RULE like it has been )... and therefore, if someone is isolating in your house and you are not to have visitors when isolating, childminders can't have minded children in, as classed as 'visitors' ... BUT if you can't/ don't test, (and once the free tests have stopped, will people be willing to pay to get tests?) how will you know someone has covid opposed to a bad cold? :huh::huh::huh:

What is everyone doing at the moment, if one of your mindees family Has covid are you still having the mindee? For the last 2 years I have said no and haven’t changed my policy yet, not until April when testing all stops and nobody will no if they have it or not then I’ll change it!