NVQ stress

[lennie]

Hi
When I started childminding I didnt thing I would be up late nights studying and getting stressed out.

I love the childminding and looking after the mindees even though I had a slow start BUT the ole brain cell feel like the are frying

[sarah707]

It's a constant learning curve isn't it?

I suppose it's good for the brain though!

You can always ask for help if you are stuck

[The Juggler]

i know what you mean hon. i started minding in 2004 and think I have had precisely 2 years of not studying since then Thing is to be focused. Set a time for study and stick to it. Don't spend hours being 'stuck' on something. Come on here ask a question (or ask your tutor) and only go back to it when you have that help. Poring over it for hours when you dont know where to start is pointless and you will tire yourself out.

You can do it

[lennie]

Hi
Thanks for the reply and thanks for all the advice its very helpful. But how can I ask for help if as a new member I am not allowed in the sub area. Do I just post the question I need help not sure what to do still finding my way round the forum.

[nannysue]

I completed my NVQ earlier this year , and to be honest i found it one of the most stressful things i'd done. I had a lot of support from the forum and if i can give some back you are welcome.

If i can help in any way , just ask.

[babs]

ive not long completed my nvq 3 but i like few others have spent the last couple of years studiing feels like its none stop sometimes but its worth it in the end.. just ask away im sure someone can help.. im taking a year off this year though...

[lennie]

Hi Sue and Babs

thanks for the offers and advice I didnt think that childminding would have taken me back to the classroom ' so to speak'. I am loving the support on this forum and the kind words of encouragement.

Thank to all who have replied. If I have a question do I just follow on from here or do I have to put it in a special place or do a new thread. Not quite sure

[lennie]

i know what you mean hon. i started minding in 2004 and think I have had precisely 2 years of not studying since then Thing is to be focused. Set a time for study and stick to it. Don't spend hours being 'stuck' on something. Come on here ask a question (or ask your tutor) and only go back to it when you have that help. Poring over it for hours when you dont know where to start is pointless and you will tire yourself out.

You can do it

I have taken on board what you have said, can I ask I have been bouncing around a bit on different units when I get stuck because I can be there for hours do you think this is a bad idea. I dont always speak to my tutor cos at the beginning I had a lot of problems so didnt get much done. She was very disappointed and advise me that if I couldnt cope I could quit. I am not really a quitter and asked her what my options could be. Anyway from then I just feel I have to struggle rather that ask her for help.

[Cammie Doodle]

We did'nt get that much help either when we did ours, but I'm still so glad I did it. It made me realise that I was not as brain dead as I thought (after being at home with kids for years I had lost confidence in myself )

[nannysue]

I have taken on board what you have said, can I ask I have been bouncing around a bit on different units when I get stuck because I can be there for hours do you think this is a bad idea. I dont always speak to my tutor cos at the beginning I had a lot of problems so didnt get much done. She was very disappointed and advise me that if I couldnt cope I could quit. I am not really a quitter and asked her what my options could be. Anyway from then I just feel I have to struggle rather that ask her for help.

I didn't get a lot of constructive help from my assessor either, she only came to see me every 6 weeks or so and was so hard to pin down by text or email when i had (loads ) of questions!! Half way through a hit a brick wall and was convinced that was it but i was not going to be beaten. I found the best way for me was to do each unit at a time and not move on until it was done. it was even harder flitting from one to another.A lot of the questions really baffled me but when it was explained in "proper English" they made more sense!

Have you got the candidate handbook? once i realised how to use it properly , it was a godsend.

[rickysmiths]

I started mine in March. With Smart training. I got quite far behind, I have had a rubbush time since then, 2 sets of horrible parents which has been a massive learning curve for me because I'm used to having lovely parents, we have had to have all the flooring in our ground floor pulled up and relaid because the builder got it wrong last year, both ds and dd have done GCSE and A levels this summer and dd has just gone to Uni so a busy and sressful time.

Smart have just done 4 of my Units verbally rather than written which has been a blessing for me. We have an evidence folder with all our Policies, a lot of RAs a copy of pour Parent Info folder etc and this will be added to but it means we don't have to do any of the work twice. If we cover it in one Unit and it appears in another we can just cross reference to our prevois piece of work and the Evidence Folder if that makes sense.

Have fun.