Seriously considering giving up

[KatyMac]

Spent a couple of hours with 2 of my mindees today - we met at church
It was lovely - we cuddled & played & it was just lovely

But at work I will have to
measure the temp of the fridge & freezer,
do a risk assessment,
use a probe on all hot food,
measure the temp of bottles and recording how much she drank,
observe & write down observations
plan next steps
write daily diaries
cook to a prepared menu
consider whether I have written permission to put bumcream/teething gel on

It's all a bit much really

I feel that too, but more because I feel that I am missing so much stuff and failing a lot.

What have I missed, but I don't record fridge temps, or food temps, and I don't do risk assessments? Should I be doing it?

So sorry to go off topic

And I agreee it is all getting too much

You will have to in September with YFS

But what will you do Katy?

Run a nursery?

At least it isn't under false pretenses

Well, that's it isn't it. You do have some light at the end of the tunnel. Can you really afford to give it all up now and wait on the nursery being ready?

No

& also I want to childmind

I just don't want to childmind the OFSTED/EYFS/now i'm a taxi/& a food premises type way

Well this is what I do not understand

I have just done my EYFS intro and we were told there would be NO EXTRA record keeping like this (only for a nursery) so how come your asked to something so different. It would be the same as B23, and I don't do a lot pf planning or record keeping and I am an 'outstanding '

However, I am due an inspection and if I only get a rubbish grade I know that I will still fill my vacancees (if I ever have one )

I hate all this inconsitant information

I know. I am in a very strange place tonight. I could be asking you all to help me write my notice letters this time tomorrow. I love my babies and even the after schoolies and I love teaching and guiding them. I really, really am going to miss being a cm, but enough is enough. Its going to be a very hard decision tomorrow, if the phone call is positive.

I agree baout inconsistantce

Maureen that's a bit ho w I feel

Oh I don't know - I have been poorly all week - not ill just under the weather

I'm off to bed

See you tomorrow?

Good night

Tommorrow is another day

(I promise to join you in the staff room)

You will indeed, see me tomorrow. You can help me decide if I want this job or not! Nite, nite.

Please do Booh, you are very welcome!

I am doing a "cut and paste" on something I wrote on another thread this weekend about how I felt about my work, as it is equally applicable on this thread too.

I absolutely love what I do (caring for children), so have no plans to give up anytime soon. However, I truly hate the way my house and life have been taken over by my job. I have an unbelievable collection of equipment (includes 3 highchairs, 4 buggies, 3 travel cots, and at least 10 car seats), toys, files, paperwork, posters, and a dirty, great minibus blocking half the drive.

We have converted our loft to house as much as possible, and converted our garage to be a child-free, "adult" room for our own (grown-up) children, all at great expense but necessary for quality of family life. It looks as though we have small children living in this house, but my own children are all adults.

I have been minding for over 14 years, and certainly benefit financially from my work, but it doesn't take account of the (more and more) unpaid hours of work I put in. I pride myself on doing a good job, but really resent giving up weekend and evenings for courses and paperwork. I do it because I want the best possible grading from Ofsted and to be the best that I can. And I totally resent the fact that it will involve more unpaid hours in September.

I know several CMs have stated that they do not thing that September will result in any more paperwork, but I have been assured that it will do. I already do planning, daily diaries and monthly newsletters, but will be required to do more - so that I can prove to Ofsted that I am "making observations" and "planning" more than I already do (I am so looking forward to putting a plan together for a 3 month old baby).

If I were to give up, all the reasons above are the those I would cite for doing so. I strongly suspect that many childminders will give up or "go underground".