10th Jan weekly chat

I thought I’d change things up for the new year and do a weekly thread, instead of a daily one. That way we can just keep adding to the same one throughout the week rather than waiting for a new one each day. Let’s see how it goes!

First day back for me today. It’ll be a quiet one with just 2 children here as one of the others isn’t back till later in the week. Next week will be busier with everyone back plus a baby sibling starting. It’s a while since I’ve had an under 1 here, so I need to dust off the baby toys ready for then.

January is a full month of birthdays (family, friends and minded children) so I’m constantly writing and sending birthday cards and presents. I seem to be going to the post office on an almost daily basis! Luckily I’m more organised with January than I am with Christmas and have most things bought well in advance. It’s a relief though when I get to the end of the month without having forgotten anyone :laughing:

Enjoy your days everyone. What exciting things have you got planned?

Good plan Mouse!

I've been in school this morning, and going to visit a friend this afternoon. (just waiting for my brownies to cook!)

I'm then going to try and get my head round sorting activities etc for this week, along with settling new children and babies. It's going to be a long one!

Have fun everyone x

This a good idea Mouse. Hope your first day back has gone smoothly. I have just had to get my double pushchair back out for this week, I haven't needed it for 2 years now!

Loocyloo hope your news ones settle well too. My new little one did well on their settling in visit so fingers crossed they are ok when they start later in the week. My current little ones have all settled in to a nice routine now so I am hoping the two new ones that have started after Christmas will slot in well.

Have a lovely week, I must admit I wasn't impressed when my alarm went off this morning and I realised it was Monday and it's a full working week this week!

I have my double buggy out again too! I can't remember the last time I used it. I have my new little one for a settling in session on Thursday and then starting properly next week. He is only 7 months. I'm looking forward to having a baby. Also wondering how the LO I look after will find having another one. She has been with me on her own since September. She seems to like babies when we are at toddler group.

This week I've made some scented playdough using the contents of a berry flavoured tea bag. It smells lovely! We've been for a walk, done lots of drawing and read some books. I'm trying hard to help her increase the number of words she speaks, she's 2 in March with fewer than 20 words.

I hope everyone's weeks are going well. And the sun is shining where you are.

Not only did I need my double out again ... I need the easy rider seat on the back! Hopefully not for long though.

All going well ... I even had 4 children all asleep for a few minutes... going to have to work out something about sleeps though! ... baby sleeps in morning and afternoon... that's fine, that's what babies do, and will change. 2yr old sleeps in morning... but took over an hour of 'sleepy music' to do so! (Was rubbing eyes etc around 10.30, so as per what mum said, I put them down!) Wasn't fussing, just lay in cot and didn't sleep! 18mth old crashed out at 11 and grumpy 2.5 yr old had a very early lunch and was in bed by 12! Am hoping I can stretch 2 yr old to after ( early lunch ) and sometimes 18 mth old doesn't sleep until after lunch! ... because I'm not being trapped in the house every Tuesday! :laughing:

Happy Wednesday everyone!

It’s so cold here today with a real frost outside. When we were in the garden yesterday we put some water and leaves in shallow dishes of water in the hope they might freeze overnight. They’ve definitely done that! I went out and had a quick look earlier and they look really good. I wish I’d thought to put some string in them now and we’d have been able to hang them up. I’ll have to remember that for next time.

This evening I need to nip out to collect a birthday present I’ve ordered. We have 8 family/extended family birthdays in January, so it’s a very busy month for cards and presents. Not good for my bank balance so soon after Christmas!

Happy Wednesday. It's cold here too, although it's pretty rare that we get a frost I think. The LO I have is not bringing enough warm clothes so she's getting pretty cold when we go out. I have asked Mum for stuff and a wooly hat occasionally appears. I bought some second hand wellies for her whilst she's here so I will probably get her a hat a gloves. She came wearing a white track suit and new white trainers today, so I thought we'd avoid my muddy garden. We did some baking which I think she enjoyed.

Oh Ellisha, how frustrating that mum doesn't send the clothing you need. I have a bag of those 'magic' mittens ( and gloves ) and a selection of woolly ( and summer ) hats that were either my children's, or I've picked up very cheaply over the years. This year, I've added some fleece tube things to go round necks! I got fed up with children being cold, or if they brought hats/gloves with then, them being too small and not staying on! (Bonus to them being mine, is that if they get trashed/lost, I don't mind so much!)
I once had a mum, who, whenever I mentioned we'd be going to woods etc the next day, would send child in white/pale/NEW clothes, and so for a few weeks, we didn't go ... then I noticed the pattern :rolleyes: and we went anyway! I did say sorry to mum, but said old/ dark clothing or waterproofs would be much better than the pale pink leggings now indelibly marked with muddy puddle water! She got the message!

It's bright and sunny ( but cold ) here, but no one wanted to go outside! I do have 2 children asleep in buggies outside though!
New children are all doing very well, and it's been alot less stressful than I was anticipating! However, I am fully aware that it might be first day excitement and the next few days/ weeks could be harder!

Oh my I am tired today, is it really only Wednesday :o My newest little one has worn me out, they are lovely but parents state they have a very strict sleep routine that really didn't work with me. I am supposed to put them for a sleep at a certain time and parents expect me to follow their sleep routine which is hard when you have 2 others running around unfortunately they didn't sleep as long as expected but its early days so will have to see how. They haven't used a childminder before as family have been looking after the children. Glad your new ones are setting in well Loocyloo.


I always say to parents that they need to bring the children in old clothes that doesn't matter if they get dirty and muddy it's amazing how many look horrified at the thought but soon realise why :laughing:

This little one always gets wet, muddy or food down herself so I would think the Mum would have realised by now! I think Mum just likes her LO to be in new clothes! I did have hats and gloves from my own kids that I would use for childminding but I must have got rid of them in the house move. Probably when I was trying to declutter and put the old house on the market! A trip to the charity shop is overdue!

Hope the week is going well and the new LOs continue to settle ok. Pixie dust - hopefully you can slowly shift the sleep for the new LO to fit in with your routine.

I'm waiting for a builder to turn up and do some repairs on my bay window. He has been due for the last two days and the scaffolding is up waiting for him! He did some work for us in November and I have learnt he will turn up at some point, just whenever it suits him!

It’s so frustrating when parents don’t send appropriate clothes, isn’t it? I find my current set of parents are particularly lax at sending appropriate footwear. I do keep some wellies here, but not enough pairs in enough sizes to fit everyone.

We’ve got another cold and frosty morning so my assistant is currently in the garden with the children, taking photos of frost on the plants, toys etc. I’m in the warm, making them some toast and warm milk for when they come in!

This evening I’m going to visit a friend and drop off her birthday present. She said she’s got cake, so we’ll spend the time chatting, drinking coffee and eating :D

Enjoy your Thursdays everyone.

I have just noticed you know when you go on a site you get a padlock to let you know it’s a secure site? Well this site doesn’t get a padlock it gets a exclamation mark before the www. so guessing maybe not a secure site!

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Hope the week is going well and the new LOs continue to settle ok. Pixie dust - hopefully you can slowly shift the sleep for the new LO to fit in with your routine

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Mum has very strong views on how and when LO sleeps so I think it will be a little while before I can change things, I was sent a rather detailed message about how they should could to sleep and what I am expected to do.

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Originally Posted by Dragonfly

I have just noticed you know when you go on a site you get a padlock to let you know it’s a secure site? Well this site doesn’t get a padlock it gets a exclamation mark before the www. so guessing maybe not a secure site!

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It's got a padlock on mine.

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Originally Posted by Pixie dust

Mum has very strong views on how and when LO sleeps so I think it will be a little while before I can change things, I was sent a rather detailed message about how they should could to sleep and what I am expected to do.

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Goodness me, I don't think I could work with someone like that! I tell parents that I do try to keep to the child's home routine, but that it doesn't always work and often the child will naturally fall into the same routine as the other children.

Welcome to the weekend!

What’s everyone up to?

I’m going out with one of my sons today. We were going to head out to a nearby Buddhist centre for a walk round the grounds and a coffee in the cafe, but the weather isn’t very nice so I think we’ll save that for another day. His other suggestions is that we go to B&Q and get some paint so we can start on his hallway! I said that wasn’t my idea of a nice day out, so he’s offered to buy me a takeaway coffee on the way back :laughing:

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Originally Posted by Mouse

Welcome to the weekend!

What’s everyone up to?

I’m going out with one of my sons today. We were going to head out to a nearby Buddhist centre for a walk round the grounds and a coffee in the cafe, but the weather isn’t very nice so I think we’ll save that for another day. His other suggestions is that we go to B&Q and get some paint so we can start on his hallway! I said that wasn’t my idea of a nice day out, so he’s offered to buy me a takeaway coffee on the way back :laughing:

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:laughing: Have fun whatever you do Mouse!

I have to go food shopping and do a few jobs, DH is busy in the garage! I was thinking of going for a walk later, but it's very foggy and murky and damp, so I don't think I'll bother!
We actually have NOTHING on the calendar for tomorrow, so I'm going to suggest we all go out and do something!

Have fun everyone xx

Mouse we ended up at B&Q today :laughing:



We haven't been up to much today, we had a few little errands to do. Last night we went out for a family meal which was really nice, not sure what we will do tomorrow I think it will depend on the weather.

I did pay my tax bill yesterday :(

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone.

Today DH decided that one our kitchen cupboards needed decluttering as he want's to use it for something else, it's where I put a lot of childminding bits I keep 'just incase' plus we have some paperwork in there, so DH kindly emptied the contents out on to the dining room table so I had to find a new home for my numerous yoghurt pots and milk bottle lids ........I moved them to my shed :D

Annoying about your DH taking all your stuff out of the cupboard! My DH occasionally gets the tidying bug and then leaves all my bits in a pile somewhere, not realising I may not want to tidy at the same time as him!

My DH was away this weekend so me and my kids were out lots doing things. I took them to soft play as my son wanted to meet up with his friend and they decided upon soft play. I twas nice for me as I got to meet his friend's Mum and have a cup of tea and a chat. I know soft play is generally hell, but my kids are 8 and 11 so no bother at all! we then went to the library, had some lunch and had a walk on the pier. I have my new 7 month old starting today so Sunday was mainly spent cleaning and thinking about what a 7 month old might need!

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Annoying about your DH taking all your stuff out of the cupboard! My DH occasionally gets the tidying bug and then leaves all my bits in a pile somewhere, not realising I may not want to tidy at the same time as him!

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That's exactly it Ellisha! Hope your little one settled well.