Jingle Bells the Staff Room smells !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oo! The eggshell shift! There's nothing worse than having to watch everything you say and do with a sleeping dh in the house! My dh used to say the worst noise was me, saying 'SSHHH!' every five minutes!

Look, I know its December, but I've just looked into the garden and there's still frost on the grass! How can I be expected to function in this temperature! My body starts shutting down non-essential parts when its cold!

Afternoon to everyone, sorry I haven't had time to read what you have all been doing, but I hope it's been good.
We have to be quiet this afternoon as DH came home from work at 1pm to go to bed as he has to go back in at 8pm for the night shift!!!!! Also has to do tomorow night.

afternoon all,

Well last night didnt go as bad as I thought. In fact they were really nice saying how much they like their DS coming to me They just wanted to know how he's getting on and how he plays with other kids etc as they really only see him at the weekend. Also they told me they're expecting another baby - I wondered why she was a bit thick round the middle! duh.
This gives me a great excuse to end contract cos they wanna cut down DS CMing to 3 days a week as they cant afford full time (she wont get maternity pay from work). So I will say I wont be able to fill those spare two days - much more likely to get full timer which (hopefully) I've already got lined up.
I just hope it all work out Meeting new mindee and mum tomorrow - fingers crossed!

I've jut had cold pizza and ketchup for lunch mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I will be the size of a house by xmas!

Looney - I've just looked at your Ofsted thread again. I don't think you'll ever get your head around that one. Very odd indeed.

far to cold to eat outside for me
we just got a cloth on the floor inside and ate our lunch like an indoor picnic

both mindees are fast asleep now

HI All! Freezing my doodahs off today, had to take dd and mindee to school for 8am(lovely dp gave us a lift), then walk with mindee two to collect new double buggy(bonus), but mum had forgot to put gloves inso he looked gorgeous in dd's spare pink ones(very p.c for ofsted), walk back here make lunch to take out, made snowflakes with mindee 2 while we thawed out, went to shop to buy him some less girly gloves, collected mindee 3 from school play session, took the two of them to park to eat picnic, but far to cold to sit, so walked around the park 3 times!while they ate their lunch, fed the duck, walked back to school to drop mindee one off then came back here, mindee 3 asleep (she's 'itching'?, teachers mentioned it??) and am sat half typing and half writing out reciepts for christmas week!
back out in an hour with mindee 3 for dd, mindee one and two then back here to finish making our fabuloso peg bags

I'm a cm and a Guider, its my job to be resourceful and imaginative! I have been known to use a nappy to clean windows too! Tis very absorbant you know!

I totally, totally know where your coming from, I'm sure we all do. Sadly, we are going to have to be regulated/trained/watched to this extent because we have to compete with nurseries. In a strange kind of way, Ofsed are actually doing it, to give us more power and more clout in the business world. They want us to be recognised as business people and not just mums that stay at home and look after other peoples children. I hate to say it, but it is for our good. How many times a week, does someone in here, moan about bad payers or absent mindees or rude parents? Parents wouldn't dare behave like that at a nursery, but they feel we are 'just' cm's so its ok. Tough as it is, its the only way to get a bit of respect from parents who use us.

That said, I'm not sticking around, so I may be more understanding, since it won't effect me!

Oh lord! What am I like today? I've just taken a sip of the tea I made, but I forgot EVERYTHING apart from the water! I've made a cup of muddy water, from the last one I had an hour ago!

PMSL MO, I wouldn't even have thought to use one of those, very resourceful!

Think M is a cm, i'm sure i've seen her around, she seems very stressed out about it all and has prob made up the poems out of boredom and fustration.

Unexpected rant..........

How many of you would be tempted to carry on childminding unregistered if ofsted carry on like they are? Say in 10yrs when it is very very far beyond ridiculous? Will you give up a job you love or do it without the hassle and risk being caught? (just wondering to myself after reading that thread, well bits of it) If being involved with ofsted is going to stress me to the point of being put on AD's I think I would be tempted you know, I don't want to give this job up as I enjoy it but I don't enjoy ofsted side of it at all, I know we need to be regulated and standards etc that's fair enough but the part that angers me is the power trip, they could put their fee up to £1000 before we know it just because they can, because we have no choice but to comply or we will be breaking the law and there are consequences and because we are good people (lets face it those that work in a caring role are good people) we get penalised for not going against them.

These extra courses annoy me too - yes fair enough, it's good they run courses some people benefit from it and if i thought I needed the courses or enjoyed the courses or they would make me better at my job etc etc then I would attend the courses but they shouldn't be compulsory because not everyone who looks after children is so stupid they need to be told how to look after a child, they are making it too complex imo. Children naturally learn thoguh play if they have the resources around them, if I didn't know what I needed to provide to help children's development I would question my ability to parent nevermind childmind, surely to god when ofsted come to inspect you they should look for signs that the lights are on and you are switched on enough to know about childrens learning. What are ofsted doing coming out to see us if they can't tell if we have the right toys/ equiptment/ natural way with children etc

Why is the application process so through if they intend to send us all on compulsary courses anyway!

In my first year of business I made £1,500 hardly so much I wouldn't miss an extra £86 on fee's!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've never seen her anywhere else, just the Ofsted threads. She never comes in here and Nick is so nice and kind to her all the time!

I've been to get a new microwave this morning, just sorted it all out and they've put a bloody great sticky sticker right in the middle of the door! Its taken me nearly 1/2 hour to get all the stickiness off! (And I had to unravel a tampax, because I ran out of cotton wool yesterday!

dmo - agree with Mo, good idea.

And yes, I have avoided my own thread because well....I just didn't know what to say - all very odd I today decided to ask what's it's all about, I'm so confused

Oh it looks like too much hard work to me, I can't be arsed to read it all! I'll leave Looney to it!

oh sh*~t - i'm running breastfeeding group @ 1.30pm

byyyyeeeee

it's on this topic and it's looney's thread about ofsted's inconsistancies(sp)

i'm still in my dressing gown [yawwwwnnn]

ds in pj's

WHERE? I can't find it!!! Will I get cross and say something terrible?

she doesn't come in here does she?

She is a mad women whats with all the poems

Where? Where?

what the hell is wrong with the person on the ofsted thread? it really worries me - do you think its a troll?

good idea mo will do that

DMO - How about dropping a line to the mum saying something along the lines of, 'Hope you're ok and I'm here if you need cming. Please don't worry about the money atm, we will talk about it in the new year' You did earn the money afterall and fair enough you don't need it right now, but it rightfully yours. Just make her aware that you haven't been paid and you haven't forgotten about it.

Morning all

Shosh - thanks for mince pies and coffee

Tinsel - how annoying and rude!! And if I've guessed the person right and it's who I think it is, I've met her and ds took to her straight away - she's nice! As for flooring, sorry, I when read that!

eleanorsmum - feel free to email me ([email protected]) with any questions

crace - morning Have posted on your thread

LMGs - hello

Mo - Good job we don't have mustard seeds in our house then!!

dmo - what a mess. I'd never let off money but then I'm always desperate so no choice! Does sound a right mess!

Right, got half hour til school. Potty training toddler mindee but nothing in potty/toilet yet although she's sitting on it at times (no accidents on floor either so that's something ) Her baby sister is very clingy still, has been all week.

Oh....and had double pay baby's mum on email in tears this morning Poor thing, she's having the day at home with baby and she can't take it, she said shes just not cut out to be at home with her on her own She's asked if I can help and I've just reminded her the only option for me would be to serve notice on 2 sisters and she'd have to pay me double for those days until I fill the 2nd space. She's having a chat with her dh and grandma (who does one day atm) but doesn't want to rush in too quickly without thinking about things as worried about my maternity leave, bless her. I just wish I could help, she's really lovely but in a mess still and has been since she gave birth tbh

i dont really can live without it till jan/feb got a couple of grand in my childminding bank acount

But you need the money too dmo! You can't take on everyone elses problems you need to still be paid.

peed off i have lost £124
had a parent that was really bad at paying anyway sent her a bill last thursday and she forgot her cheque book on friday.
monday morning the childs father (who the child does not live with) picked the child up saying he is looking after the child at the mo.
got home and phoned mum who told me her husband had alsulted her sunday night and had spent the night inn a cell
tuesday i got a call asking if i would phone step dad or real dad to get my money from them as step dad had taken bank things with him.
phoned step dad who said no he has been told he has nothing to do with the child anymore
wrote to dad who spoke to me this morning who said the contract was taken out beween the mother and myself so was in fact nothing to do with him.

feeling sad for the child dont know if she was around on sunday night but dad said child would be with him from now on so i prob wont see her again.
dad is really well off has a big house, swimming pool etc he owns 3 arcades in Blackpool the child has her own horse etc at dads house.
mum is well off too, but i dont use NCMA contracts i have my own and i feel for the mum and dont want to bother her at the mo about money