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  1. #1
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    Default Good morning Wednesday

    Just time for a quick post before the last child arrives and we go outside to play. They've had a dentist appointment this morning so are coming in late. I can't hear the door from the garden so need to wait in until they're here. Does anyone have a Ring doorbell? Do you find it useful? I wonder whether it would be good so if we're outside I can get a notification that someone is at the door.

    I've got a feeling the weather is going to go the same way today as it did yesterday - dry in the morning then miserable in the afternoon. Having said that, it did brighten up really nicely later on yesterday, but not until the children had gone home.

    Has everyone else got half term week next week? I've booked the week off and told parents a while ago. One denied knowing about it, but I checked my email and she'd definitely had it. In the email I'd asked parents to let me know if they had any holiday time booked and she'd replied giving me their holiday dates, so i knew she'd read the email! I have no problem at all if parents forget (that's why I send reminders), but I'm not so understanding when they get stroppy and deny ever having been told, especially when I have proof that they have been!

    Sewing Bee tonight, plus I need to watch Holby that I recorded last night. DH is going out so I'll be able to watch in peace, without him constantly asking who everyone is and what's going on!

    Have good days everyone.

  2. #2
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    I haven't got a ring doorbell.

    Yes, we have half term next week.

    I'm experimenting with sleeping arrangements for mindees. I would like to have them downstairs instead of upstairs, just for the risk assessment purposes. Anywhere downstairs would be fine if it was just me at home, but with DH at home and then DD next week it's a logistical nightmare.

    Tomorrow morning I'm showing a family around in the morning and then in the afternoon I've got a mum coming for her second visit and to sign the contract. So, I guess I'll be cleaning, cleaning, cleaning tonight. I'm just printing out all the necessary bits and bobs.

    DH is decorating our bedroom at the minute and so we've moved into the spare room, but we have stuff from our room all over the house and it is starting to drive me mad. I need back order and space.

  3. #3
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    We went out on light drizzle to do a local gruffalo spotters trail. It was good, and dried up as we went. You need the app, which you then click on to watch little gruffalo character animations. App was a bit glitchy though, and the colour was odd, but everyone enjoyed it.

    It's oddly bright but dark here ... who knows what the weather will do!

    Yes, half term here next week. I'm working, but despite being asked if some children can do extra days, I've said I'm full as I want a couple of quieter days !
    I like to email everything and generally always ask for a response, so I can 'prove' they've seen it!

    Looking forward to sewing bee, although I'm shattered and would also like an early night! I'm sure it was on at 8pm last year!

    Edited to say, my friend has a ring doorbell and loves it, as she can see who is at door and if she needs to go to it, as can't hear or see front door from her garden and doesn't want to drag everyone with her from the playroom.
    Last edited by loocyloo; 26-05-2021 at 02:04 PM.

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    Afternoon and yes you were right Mouse, it started off quite nice this morning but it's now pouring down so another day of having to get everyone dressed in the waterproofs for the school run. I have a ring doorbell for that very reason Mouse as I didn't hear people at the door , it does work well but we are going to get an indoor chime that works alongside it as the other week I was out but DH was at home, someone rang the doorbell but it only works with my phone and DH didn't realise there was anyone there so they went away again! It does go off sometimes when next door walks up their path as it senses movement alongside being a doorbell.

    I am working next week, I do normally take the May half term week off as its my Birthday at the end of May and always falls during the half term holidays so its nice to have a few days off but I have decided to take the October one off instead as I have a week at the end of July then it would be along time until Christmas without a break. I normally take 4 weeks off during the year. How much time off do you all take ?

    I have just found out that I am getting some EYPP money for one of my children so I am looking at how I can spend the money to support their learning, I am thinking about things to support their physical development as they are not meeting expected development norms in this area and they are starting school in September, anyone have any fab ideas what I could buy to help strengthen pencil control etc ? Mum has told me that there physical development has always been delayed compared to the rest of them. I have £100 to spend.
    Pixie Dust

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    That's nice you've got a grant Pixie. ... how about something like pegs or 'stress' balls to squeeze and strengthen hand playdough is good too, threading pipecleaners into cut up straws/beads/colander etc. I've also stuck raw spaghetti in playdough and threaded penned pasta on them.
    . I've just bought some pen grips from wish! That have 'cuffs' to put the fingers in, to help a child know where to put their fingers, oh yes, thick triangular Pencils are good too.

    Not sure that you really need to use funding for the above though!


    I take about 4-5 weeks holiday plus random other days!

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    I’m working next week, I have approximately 3 weeks off during the year. As I don’t work Fridays I’d feel guilty having more time off.
    I haven’t got a ring bell, I’m not sure I’d want one.seems to be cameras everywhere at the moment .I've usually got my mobile near the garden so they could ring that if I didn’t hear the bell which is loud and rings at the back of the house anyway.
    Deliveries are left in my porch ,anyone else can come back if it’s important.

    Lucky you to get money to support a child, lots of good ideas from a Loocyloo.

    Now that I’m funded it seems strange to wait so long for payment for a child. hopefully it will come soon. For the non funded hours a child does that is funded does everyone charge at the end of the summer them? I was told to to this.
    Hope that makes sense.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pixie dust View Post

    I have just found out that I am getting some EYPP money for one of my children so I am looking at how I can spend the money to support their learning, I am thinking about things to support their physical development as they are not meeting expected development norms in this area and they are starting school in September, anyone have any fab ideas what I could buy to help strengthen pencil control etc ? Mum has told me that there physical development has always been delayed compared to the rest of them. I have £100 to spend.
    That's lovely Pixie.

    I'd go for things that improve hand strength, so playdough, threading beads, tweezers etc.

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    Pixie I was going to start a thread asking how much holiday everyone takes! Now that I'm working 5 days a week I want to take more holidays than when I worked 3 or 4 days - like Dragonfly said. I've told parents I will take no more than 6 weeks, but now I feel greedy after reading your replies.

    Pixie what a lovely thing to have that money! When I worked in school some of the kids were given 'putty' to play with during sessions with their OT, or PT. It was a bit different to playdough, probably more expensive. I think you would have to look in the SEND sections of catologues for it. Have you got lots of droppers/turkey basters? Or some of those super stretchy toys that you can get? We've got some frogs and lizards - from amazon I think.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post

    Now that I’m funded it seems strange to wait so long for payment for a child. hopefully it will come soon. For the non funded hours a child does that is funded does everyone charge at the end of the summer them? I was told to to this.
    Hope that makes sense.
    Do you get paid monthly or termly? We get paid 80% before the start of the term and 20% towards the end of term. Our second payment for this term is due towards the end of June.

    This term is something like 13 weeks long, but we only get funding for 12 weeks. If the child is term time only, I give parents the option. They can either pay for the last week, or finish a week early. If they're here all year round, the start paying when the funding finishes, or I do stretched funding.

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    I take 5 weeks holiday a year.

    I don't work on a Friday, but don't feel guilty about taking 5 weeks. Just because you work fewer days it doesn't mean you should take fewer holidays!

    I take a week in the summer, 2 weeks at Christmas, a week at Easter and one of the half terms. I would like to take holiday that isn't during the school holidays, but I always seem to have at least a couple of parents who are teachers and I know it would be more difficult for them if I took time off during the term. It means our holidays are more expensive because we go in school holidays.

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    Now that I’m funded it seems strange to wait so long for payment for a child. hopefully it will come soon. For the non funded hours a child does that is funded does everyone charge at the end of the summer them? I was told to to this.
    Hope that makes sense.

    Hope you don't have to wait too long, we have to put our hours in at the start of term and then we get paid monthly apart from during this term as it's the summer we don't get a payment in August so the summer term is divided in to 4 equal payments , hope that makes sense.

    I have one that will pay for their last week of term as it's not covered by the funding and the others who do additional hours each week as well as their funded hours who pay every month.
    Pixie Dust

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    Thank you for your help with funding. Summer term is 13 weeks long here April till 19 th July? just been sent remittance email to say money will go in Friday total amount.I told parents they can pay me the end of term for the extra hours. All new to me after 25 years of just giving a bill at the end of the month and getting paid!.

    Told by another childminder when I go on holiday will owe the funded hours but I can do them during school holidays if child is with me all year.

 

 

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