CM CLUB - How do you keep your stress levels to a minimum?

[LoveMyGirls]

I've just had a week off on holiday, camping which was hard work at times, although we did have a nice time and pulled together as a family.

This morning when I woke up feeling a bit panicky, I'm worried about making sure I've got everything in place for the EYFS (I've got Risk assesments, daily diary sheet, but haven't got round to reading the whole pack yet, tbh everytime I pick it up I'm so overwhelmed by the wording of it I put it back down feeling stressed because I don't understand and am worried I'm going to miss something important, I can't get my head round the different sections because the wording is so long winded)
I've got to do 2 notice letters and 3 sets of contracts this week plus working from 8am to 6pm (not inc the hours outside that when i'll be working, at least 2 evenings will be doing contracts with parents)
One set of parents haven't paid me for the past 3 weeks (now owing £427, should be more than that but I'm going to accept the lower amount if they pay me everything by end of notice period, I'm not caring for the children while they're not paying me btw) so with that and the fact we've just been on hols I'm really overdrawn so I'm worried about money plus I need to email Ofsted to withdraw the request for a variation I asked for which I now don't need but not sure how to word it, which is why I'm putting it off.

The house needs cleaning - we had a birthday party for dd the day we went on hols, I did downstairs yesterday but am in the middle of all the washing and upstairs needs cleaning. I also need to go food shopping, plus got to drop the stuff we borrowed from in laws back and buy a sleeping bag for our weekend away next week (also need to fit in time to pack for that) before anyone says if money is tight we shouldn't be going away for the weekend we booked it ages ago before the family not paying me started messing me about.

I should probably just get on with it, write a list, tick them off as i go along etc but a bit of reassurance and any advice would be appreciated at the moment.

Oh WOW you are super busy!!!!

Can relate though, I am a CM feeling slighty unprepared for EYFS and have also just come back from a week-long camping trip.

I need to do new contracts with parents, and before I went away I ordered some from the NCMA website thinking they would be here when I got back. Oh no, problem with the transaction and I need to re-order, aarrrghhh.

I have done the EYFS course, so am planning to start working my way through the pack in the next few weeks.

Could you do some delagating in your house, to help with some of the jobs?

Thanks for replying L2B, can you photocopy contracts? This is what I'm planning on doing as I haven't got time or money to order more.

Plan so far is...
I've emailed OFSTED but the email has bounced back so will have to ring them on monday and sort that I guess.
I'm writing one notice letter today and I'll do the other one at the end of August.
EYFS - I'll do bits as and when I get chance and hope I can get it all sorted in time.
Washing is almost done but needs putting away, going to ask dp if he will put it away and tidy upstairs while dd2 has a nap and I go food shopping.
Then we'll go as a family to the in-laws and to buy a sleeping bag.

I need to just take one day at a time.

Yes I have one contract left, so will give that a go today. Would be happy to save £8

Your plan sounds brill, one day at a time is the best way. When I think about everything I have to do, I just want to crawl back into bed and I feel totally overwhelmed!

Remember if you photocopy the contracts then you can't use the NCMA legal team if it all goes wrong

I'm just starting out as a childminder and still awaiting the ICP test results and my first aid course is (hopefully) at the end of September.
Only then can i send in my application form and get my pre-reg inspection.
But i'm the same as you, i've got the EYFS pack and i've tried reading it but i know it's very simple but they have worded it so badly that it's almost discriminating against people who'se first language is not English.
The Disk in the pack, makes it a bit easier to understand, but basically they want us to observe and write down things as we go along.
Which is something you do naturally anyway.
Our local pre-school has a new playleader starting in September and she has been on the EYFS course and i'm learning loads from her as she is very exited about the whole thing.
What are you going to do if that parent does not pay up? Are you going to chase her through the small claims court?
That's one of the things i'm dreading is people who use your services but don't pay up .

I didn't realise about the photocopy thing, definitely see if you can borrow a contract from another childminder L2B? This is what I'm going to do until mine come.

RB - I'm sending them notice today then I'll give them time to pay and if they don't I'll have to claim through the courts, this is a large amount so I really need to get the money, if it was less then I would ask my accountant if I could put it as an expense on my books.

I will be getting the EYFS disk out when the little ones have a nap later and see if it helps.

Life is always complicated