Please or to access all these features

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

CMs - I am having a NIGHTMARE with my planning

31 replies

lollipopmother · 13/06/2010 22:03

Please, someone help me . I have spent the last 6 hours doing paperwork and all I've got out of it is two observations out of it, with next steps, and half a planning sheet for an 8m/o. I am working myself into a tizz because I just can't get my head around how to show I'm planning for an 8m/o - or for any baby really. I've been a CM for 3 months and I have never tried to do a planning sheet (blush) and now I know why!!

What I've tried to do is a Mon-Fri weekly plan. Each day has the same eating and sleeping routine. I have planned to go to the Children's Centre on Mon and Tues, soft play on Thurs (this is our normal weekly routine too).

Each morning I've planned a song/rhyme/story as 8m/o tends to be severely grouchy and not up to much all morning until her sleep at 11:30.

Do I literally have to plan every minute of my day? Can I get away with putting one game/activity etc in after lunch which would bring my planned activities up to two per day??

I think I just pulled out half of my hair over the last 6 hours because I definitely feel balder!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
lollipopmother · 13/06/2010 22:11

Damn more x-posting!

Yes I have a 'sensory box' that is full of all sorts of crap sensory items. She really likes rummaging through it and I do tend to do that in the afternoon when the other babies are asleep.

The problem is that she's so bloody miserable in the morning, she refuses to sleep but she's badly in need of it so she's horribly clingy - so much so that I can't even sit her between my legs without her crying, she has to be on my legs. After her lunch and sleep though she's an absolute diamond and I could litterally leave her all afternoon to get on with what she's doing.

OP posts:
Katymac · 13/06/2010 22:09

Never done one in 7 yrs (actually I think I did for my NVQ but only for that)

lollipopmother · 13/06/2010 22:08

KatyMac - We x-posted. Now that's what seems reasonable to me and what I've been doing because baby is a new recruit (started last month) so I'm just getting to know her.

How old does a child have to be then before you have to do weekly plans?

Thank you for your input by the way, very much appreciated, I might be able to sleep a little easier tonight now!!

OP posts:
Katymac · 13/06/2010 22:07

Yes - it's textural - the track might be better - depends upon the age of the baby

Have you got a treasure basket?

lollipopmother · 13/06/2010 22:06

Oh, I should add that I also intend to make a plan for my other mindee that comes 3 days a week, he's 18m/o and my DD is 21m/o and the baby quite enjoys joining in with small world play (eating the figures etc) so I can link the two plans, but should I really be planning to let a baby chew on a wooden train??!

OP posts:
Katymac · 13/06/2010 22:04

Plan in retrospect

What did you do?
How did it work?
What did the child get out of it?
What will you do with the child next?

You don't need a weekly plan or even a daily one

Just go with it - take a photo add an obs, plan next steps