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Is what you do ever enough?


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I would very much love to hear from anyone that feels that they are doing their best and their best is good enough, As I am a very positive person and love the job I do, however no matter how hard I work it still doesn't seem enough. I am starting to wonder is it always going to be like this! Really feel like walking today.

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Hi itsallaboutthechildren, welcome to the forum ::1a ::1a

 

In answer to your question; No and I dont think anyone ever feels their best really is good enough, but not because of anything we're doing but because of a lack of positive feedback. Its much easier to complain than to praise I've noticed.

 

Is it anything specific we can help with or just a general feeling? I have to say we've had a really rubbish week and I dont think its over........ :huh:

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I understand completely your feelings! I am an owner/manager and have done this job for over 30 years! There are days when my setting and team are super, super outstanding and there are days when we are worn out and exhausted, inundated with paperwork, meeting the needs of families struggling including our own family lives etc etc. My team have all done this job from students and know what the job entails but it is exhausting and only childcare teams will understand the daily pressure. I know we do it for the children but it is sooooo hard but we keep going! I am glad of the changes but wow the work is overwhelming x :(

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Thanks for the welcome, and words of encouragement peps. I have been a manager for years and the job is truly hard, but so rewarding that I don't usually even require praise. But when you get hassle from above for a stupid little thing, when you go over and beyond your job. It leaves you feeling quite bitter. Glass of wine or two tonight me thinks.

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Welcome to the forum! :1b

 

I know where you're coming from - I might have been heard to mutter "thank crunchie it's Friday" at end of session today :rolleyes:

 

But on the whole - I am very proud of my setting and my dedicated staff team :1b

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If you are doing your best, the children are safe and happy, staff are treated fairly and well supported and you are providing the best service you can with the resources available; then yes - it's good enough.

 

You will never please everyone, you will never get on top of your paperwork and there will always be new initiatives to get your head around and new problems to resolve. But that does not mean you are not doing your best. We all work very hard in a low paid and undervalued sector - but we deserve the same job satisfaction as everyone else. So for your own sense of purpose and peace of mind, tell yourself you are good enough.

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In my job before I came to childcare I nearly always left feeling satisfied that I had done a good job, people used to say thank you when you dealt with their query and I could ring people and they would help me out and problems would be worked out in a team; yes it was stressful and I did work longer hours than I was paid (I worked in an office in manufactoring) but in 14 years I think I took work home once, and when you did finish that was it - BUT I never used to really think about when the next holiday was going to be - since I've been in childcare I feel my life is spent counting down to the next half term 1 more week to go :1b :P

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If you are doing your best, the children are safe and happy, staff are treated fairly and well supported and you are providing the best service you can with the resources available; then yes - it's good enough.

 

You will never please everyone, you will never get on top of your paperwork and there will always be new initiatives to get your head around and new problems to resolve. But that does not mean you are not doing your best. We all work very hard in a low paid and undervalued sector - but we deserve the same job satisfaction as everyone else. So for your own sense of purpose and peace of mind, tell yourself you are good enough.

I totally agree with that and yes when I look at our children and see how happy they are we are doing a blooming great job. When I look in my email box and find the long awaited email from Ofsted and think about all the paperwork that needs doing then no, good is not good enough!

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I have always loved my job, In fact I felt blessed that I was doing something truly wonderful each and everyday and that I got paid to do it.

The children continue to be my inspiration, however the increasing workload and demands are exhausting.

I long for weekends now only to start it all again the following week.

Sorry for the negativity its been a very stressful week.

Going out with my teaching buddies tonight for lots of fun and laughter, that should do the trick.:)))

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i'm afraid im normally very positive but I too have had a bed day! which has not finished as I have a trustees meeting tonight at 7.30....so just getting ready to go back to work....where I know I have to have two very tricky conversations! :angry:

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i'm afraid im normally very positive but I too have had a bed day! which has not finished as I have a trustees meeting tonight at 7.30....so just getting ready to go back to work....where I know I have to have two very tricky conversations! :angry:

Oh poor you - hope it all goes better than you might be anticipating - have a hug from me x

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I try to stay positive and even though remain critical most of the time learn to accept the fact that it will never be good enough. I have attended 38 courses and trainings over last three years (including EYT) and each and every one starts with something like "you are not doing enough", "you can do more", "you can do better". I have up on trainings as except confusion and financial loss they give me little or no at all new info. I really want to attend at least one training after which I'll come out saying, "WoW, my job is great, I do great, I love it!"

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This is the one that marks the halfway point in the school year - I always find that quite amazing

Goodness that is quite scary. We have a couple of summer born children who are nowhere near ready for school, need to knuckle down and get them going a bit!!

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I actually had a "thank crunchie its friday" moment today - brought in by a lovely staff member!!

The last few weeks have been very hard - nothing is ever good enough - paperwork, letters, planning - but this is the trouble with being committee run - they think they know it all but dont and come july they will move on - not worrying how they have upset everybody and their belief in what they do.

i am waiting for july and it cant come quick enough - i have been counting down for the last few weeks -half way so now on count down.

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can i join the club...really tough week, feeling to old for this ...back in ratio all week, not 1 lunch break and leaving late to try and catch up, tried not to put anything extra on anyone else so their duties stay the same and the only one who has offered to cover a lunch time is my junior member of staff not one of my senior staff has stepped up :angry:

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I used to work part time in a school, 15 hours a week, term time only, then i had the bright idea to buy my own nursery. I now work 12 hour days all year round and currently earning less than i used to. But would i change it? sometimes i have those days where i say "what have i done!" but on the whole, i love it. You can't please everyone but when you get the odd comment from a parent who praises you, or you see how a child runs in with a smile on their face, you can't beat it. :1b

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I am a manager of a setting and believe that my staff do the best they can in what I believe is a very challenging,poorly paid profession but I have one member of staff who is challenging in herself.......if i challenge her all I get is 'anything I do is never good enough for you'. Shes a long standing member but only qualified to level 2 recently.Whilst I dont really believe that qualifications matter this government does.

She is extreemely paranoid and i cant get a phone call without her wanting to know who it is......

 

 

help

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I actually had a "thank crunchie its friday" moment today - brought in by a lovely staff member!!

The last few weeks have been very hard - nothing is ever good enough - paperwork, letters, planning - but this is the trouble with being committee run - they think they know it all but dont and come july they will move on - not worrying how they have upset everybody and their belief in what they do.

i am waiting for july and it cant come quick enough - i have been counting down for the last few weeks -half way so now on count down.

No exactly how you feel..and on top got a level 2 thinking she knows it all.......is it really worth it

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realised that I wrote bed day not bad day....wishful thinking????

 

meeting actually ok but having a bit of a staff crisis!

 

HOWEVER two stories to relate to cheer you up

Myself and 4 little ones in the home corner talking about what sharks eat....little girl say they eat cake

I reply Cake? are you sure ?

another child chats about seaweed I go back to the girl and say what would happen if you threw cake in the sea?

her reply.....the sharks would eat it! :P:P :P :P:P (stupid question ...great answer!)

 

second story in the garden...

Child digging finds minibeast shows the teacher

What's this...it's not a slug.....and it's not a worm...look it's all curled up

Teacher it's got legs

Oh and a head ....I can see ,,,it's going this way...what is it ?

A millipede

What ?.........A WILLIE_PEDE he says.....

no says the teacher trying not to laugh a mmmmmmmmmMillipede! :P

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Had such a lovely week last week last Friday came home buzzing could not wait for Monday !

 

THIS WEEK!!!!!!! not sure why but yesterday just could not wait for day to finish ! then had to go and buy things for Chinese New Year on Monday.

 

Wonder if anyone from Ofsted ever read these comments AND CARE?!!!!!!!!!!!! i love my job but feel overwhelmed with the paper work etc and im not in management!

 

Have seen 2 of my key children parents this week and they both said in their words !" i really dont care about this Crap! as long as **** is happy , and He/She is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

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It's nice to know that I am not on my own, I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth. I have come into work today with a positive, lets do this attitude. I will continue to do the best I can and I will try to convince my self that is enough. It's a hard job but someone has to do it. Sending postitive vibes to you all, hope Monday has been kind to you.

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You are definitely not alone in this, itsallaboutthechildren. My high (or low point) last week was having a parent come in to complain that I had given her child 'the evil eye'!

How dare you lol xxx

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