What does your "child admin" look like throughout the year?

[safari111]

I am taking my DC (2&3) for their first dental appt this week, and it got me wondering what other parents do in terms of "child admin" throughout the year and how often? It might not be the right way to phrase it, but for example, dental appointments, opticians, haircuts, that sort of thing?

Would love to just get organised and be a good parent really!

It's fairly straight forward when they are young, just immunisations and dentist.
The hassle starts when they have multiple extra curricular clubs, the bloody school want them to wear something / bring something / make something every week. There's parties most weekends, play dates etc.
Never ending cycle of getting rid of outgrown clothes, getting new. Organising school holiday timetables of holiday clubs etc.
It feels pretty endless at times, but realistically it's probably only an hour a week if done efficiently.

Holiday clubs
Clothes
Uniform is a whole other sack of shit - buying it, labelling it, chasing it down in the bin of doom, summer v winter uniform, PE kit, dress like a feeling day
Social life - parties, swapping playdates as favours etc
ECs, swimming lessons
Looking for lost items. I swear our bog-standard people carrier eats water bottles.
School related stuff- reading logs, homework, special days, let alone anything SEN related or PTA related.

There’s more, but I’m too tired to type it all.

It’s the three different musical instruments, 4 different after school clubs and a school that requires a different sports uniform for each of PE vs Games (who knew?!) that did me in.

medical stuff : eyes and teeth easy because I make the next appt at each appt.

keeping passports in date are the only things that REALLY matter as forgetting a hockey stick or violin are a minor blip in the grand scheme of things.

so my advice is to be ruthless about passports and everything else is a bonus.

My other top life tip as your dc are so young is to pay to get them immunised against chicken pox if they both haven’t had it yet and if you can afford it.

Omg, what have I opened my eyes to?! My DD starts school in September and I had no idea all the sh*t that would come with it 😂

@Wishlist99 good shout about the passports and chickenpox vax, one of my children had chicken pox but the other never has despite being exposed to it many times!

paying for trips at school and extracurricular activities, filling various forms around it, buying equipment or stuff for non uniform days. Dental check ups, eye tests , haircuts, specific medical appointments, repeat prescriptions. Ordering clothes and shoes online (as less and less sizes physically available at shops) and then refunding not suitable.
Researching and booking holiday clubs/ holiday activities.
Hobby can involve extra competitions and travel .
In general it depends on your child/ school/ extra curricular activities.
A neurotypical child with no heath issues and without complicated hobby attending good non demanding school doesn’t get you a lot of life admin.

For teeth/eyes/hair I always try and make an appt when I am there for the next occasion.

Termly: reconfirm wrap around care (although this is more yearly, but I check we definitely need our current slots) pay for swimming, music lessons, order dinners for the term

Everything else: keep diary handy and update as and when.
When he is not working away, DH and I run through the week ahead each weekend as to who is taking each child to which activity. I also sit down with my diary, school newsletter and emails each week to make sure everything in there and if there is anything we need help with/need to sort.

@pizzaHeart how often do your kids have eye tests? I remember having them tested once a year as a child but don't know what age they started. I don't wear glasses so don't go as an adult.

Eye test isn't until they start school, we took our child when he turned 3 and they were like "oh he doesn't need yet" but they did test him anyway, basically check colour blindness and 3d vision etc.
Dentist they will tell you when you come back, it's 6 months usually with us but it can vary.
Other than that school uniform is technically optional in primary school, a lot of stuff you can either skip or get them involved. Just don't over schedule your children! It's not the mark of a "good parent" to book and organise, it's a good parent who is present for their children.

@ellesbellesxxx sounds v organised, and I will take note of making the next appointments at the current one!

How often are children having their hair cut? I have a DD and DS, both have only had their hair cut twice (both have curls, so hair appears slow growing).

Create an online calendar that you and their DF both have access to.

Go through it each week to agree who's doing what.

As you leave one dentist/optician/hairdresser appointment, make the next appointment.

Hairdressers every term.
Dentist twice a year.
Opticians annually.

When did “Life Admin” or “Child Admin” become a thing? I only ever see this on here. It’s not “admin” it’s just life!

I honestly don’t know how some people get through life…

At the moment not a lot! Husband books dentist and they rebook all of us in together every 6m (so not really any work whatsoever!!). I trim hair when they can’t see. Husband takes them swimming. Ours is only 2.5yrs so not much going on at the moment. Oh, nursery fees but they’re on DD.

If you have a partner, remember it’s not on you solely! Make sure you divide tasks!!

Vaccinations (usually just flu once older), dentist, optician, paediatrician, GP, repeat prescriptions, dietician, ed psych, play therapy, sensory occ therapy, SALT, CAHMS, hairdresser, extra curricular activities like swimming or clubs, wraparound and holiday care, audiologist, DLA paperwork, additional paperwork for clubs due to additional needs, family support worker meetings, senco meetings, homework…

That’s just off the top of my head that I’m dealing this at the moment.

Once a year but she has bad eyesight and then pain of choosing a frame - it’s not always easy.

What I find harder are the less predictable parts (play dates, birthdays, special day at school/fair, etc). The rest (dentist appointments, extra curriculars, holiday clubs), I can anticipate and plan ahead for.

All of the above, thinking ahead and trying to work out how the fuck to earn enough to pay for the above and care for the children during the school holidays- children now both at different primaries during to SEN needs not being met.

Regarding eye tests, our daughter had sight problems from early on (more or less sorted now) and was referred to the eye unit at the hospital at the 2 year health visitor check - so I would have thought if nothing's been said and you don't have eye issues in the family, one check before starting school would be sufficient? I'm sure the optician would say then if there was an issue.

I think "child admin" has become much more of an issue as life is complicated (my mum wasn't dealing with nursery/wrap around as she didn't need either, nor with homework as it wasn't set at primary) and because services like dentist are harder to access...and heaven forfend you need specialist stuff like speech and language therapy...just managing where you are on all the damn waiting lists for stuff.

But hopefully things are more straightforward for some...

I will also add: make your partner, if you have one, properly and fully responsible for some of it!

@JamieFrasersPants it's just a catchall way for me to ask a question. It's not that deep!

@Phineyj ahh ok, gotcha! My OH wore glasses from a young age but thankfully my kids seem fine. A test before the start of school seems like a good shout though, thanks for the idea :)

And the endless Whatsapp groups. Brownies, nursery, class, scouts, NCT........

Are you a journalist fishing for ideas/ stories

@TheLurpackYears sounds a bit like a logistical nightmare, I hope your kids get the support they need now!

@Flowerfairie no! I'm a motherless mother, if you must know.

@menopausalmare don't tell me there are more WhatsApp groups to come.... 😫