It's Friday!

[sunnyday]

9 minutes ago, zigzag said:

It really does not surprise me, we have seen such an increase of visitors during the last few weeks it’s quite intimidating.  God knows where they are staying as holiday let’s, campsites and b&bs are meant to be closed.  It really is a huge concern.  One of my Dads is a community responder and has been warned by the south west ambulance trust that the worst Is yet to come and is a few weeks away for us.

I'm so sorry zigzag what a horrible position to be in

[zigzag]

8 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

I'm so sorry zigzag what a horrible position to be in

Well yes it is BUT everyday during lock down I have felt blessed to live where we live, the most beautiful beaches and countryside on our doorstep all within walking distance. Not a day has gone by when we haven’t felt gratitude at how lucky we are and thought about people in cities with no outdoor space.  So I understand why people want to come here, it’s just concerning how many are here already without some of the restrictions being lifted, it’s quite scary thinking ahead to the summer!

[enuffsenuf]

37 minutes ago, zigzag said:

It really does not surprise me, we have seen such an increase of visitors during the last few weeks it’s quite intimidating.  God knows where they are staying as holiday let’s, campsites and b&bs are meant to be closed.  It really is a huge concern.  One of my Dads is a community responder and has been warned by the south west ambulance trust that the worst Is yet to come and is a few weeks away for us.

I know I was a bit shocked today...When we discussed coming back one or two of our parents were "No it's too soon we def dont want them back yet and nor are we sending our older children back to school....a sentiment I could understand.  So we went back with our school leavers and had a bit of wriggle space if we decided to invite some of the younger ones.   On Weds. things had been going so well I was considering this but then a parent of one of the 4 year old's said she'd only allowed her child back because the group size was so small and she might withdraw them if the group got much larger...so at that point our team discussed it and agreed we have a good grasp on the children we have (not physically of course as that's not very eyfs😉) and felt perhaps we were getting a tad over confident as things were going smoothly so decided for the remainder of this term we will stick with our school leavers and the one EYPP 3 year old we have.....well today I am so glad we decided this.

One of the "ooooh not sending my children" today enquired when their child might be coming back so I thought I'd grasp the nettle and informed them all "not until Sept...explaining the reasons why etc.

ten minutes later on their social media that same parent posted a stack of pictures from their "mini holiday" last week down in the west country!👿

 

[sunnyday]

8 minutes ago, enuffsenuf said:

 

ten minutes later on their social media that same parent posted a stack of pictures from their "mini holiday" last week down in the west country!👿

 

Where did they stay on their 'mini holiday' if all hotels, campsites etc are shut?

[enuffsenuf]

5 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

Where did they stay on their 'mini holiday' if all hotels, campsites etc are shut?

it looked like it might be a beach hut by the pics and there was def some sort of beach shop/stall open because that was in one of the piccies with the usual "seaside" stuff outside and the children standing in front of it....and of course this works both ways they could have transferred things down there and likewise they could have picked up something given the rising rates down there and potentially brought it into the setting had we said "Oh yes come back next week".  So much of this is all about trust...and of course they would be the first to complain if they picked up something from a child in setting or a member of staff and yet no consideration the other way

[Mouseketeer]

3 hours ago, zigzag said:

It really does not surprise me, we have seen such an increase of visitors during the last few weeks it’s quite intimidating.  God knows where they are staying as holiday let’s, campsites and b&bs are meant to be closed.  It really is a huge concern.  One of my Dads is a community responder and has been warned by the south west ambulance trust that the worst Is yet to come and is a few weeks away for us.

We could be closed again pretty soon with the way it’s going zigzag 🥺

[finleysmaid]

apparently greater manchesters r rate gone above one...schools have been told not to open on monday as planned

[enuffsenuf]

8 hours ago, finleysmaid said:

apparently greater manchesters r rate gone above one...schools have been told not to open on monday as planned

really they've kept that quiet I hadn't heard that

[finleysmaid]

2 minutes ago, enuffsenuf said:

really they've kept that quiet I hadn't heard that

it was on twitter last night ...but thats absolutely NO guarantee it's correct! (to be fair i'd had 2 gins when i read it so could well be wrong!🤪)

[sunnyday]

3 hours ago, finleysmaid said:

it was on twitter last night ...but thats absolutely NO guarantee it's correct! (to be fair i'd had 2 gins when i read it so could well be wrong!🤪)

Only two fm - you're slipping!

[louby loo]

9 hours ago, finleysmaid said:

it was on twitter last night ...but thats absolutely NO guarantee it's correct! (to be fair i'd had 2 gins when i read it so could well be wrong!🤪)

Seem's you were correct 😮  Some settings/schools are being asked to not to open Monday.

[enuffsenuf]

13 hours ago, louby loo said:

Seem's you were correct 😮  Some settings/schools are being asked to not to open Monday.

had the schools there reopened this last week?  I know in some areas they had already delayed until the 15th...either way its both very concern but also very confusing for the children.   Better not to mention the sweetie shop at all than take the child to the sweeties shop and then say its open but you cant buy any sweets because I haven't brought my purse.  I saw on a professional FB group I belong to that some teachers are being told they cant teach too much either as that would be unfair on the children still at home....I understand the arguments for reopening, I understand the arguments for staying closed....what is not understandable is how confusion in anyway shape or form helps children's education or development.  It would have been so much better to have used this half term to properly plan for Sept and how we can get all children back permanently than have this higgledy piggledy approach which is distracting from transitions and has only established ways of working which are not sustainable for the larger schools etc.  We have been back a week and are already having to reorder gloves, aprons etc 

Don't get me wrong we are back and it feels good...but it isn't real life, it isn't sustainable  (my break even point is higher than the current limit), and what children have always thrived on is stability...and it appears we are far from that.

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by enuffsenuf
typo

[louby loo]

2 hours ago, enuffsenuf said:

had the schools there reopened this last week?  I know in some areas they had already delayed until the 15th...either way its both very concern but also very confusing for the children.   Better not to mention the sweetie shop at all than take the child to the sweeties shop and then say its open but you cant buy any sweets because I haven't brought my purse.  I saw on a professional FB group I belong to that some teachers are being told they cant teach too much either as that would be unfair on the children still at home....I understand the arguments for reopening, I understand the arguments for staying closed....what is not understandable is how confusion in anyway shape or form helps children's education or development.  It would have been so much better to have used this half term to properly plan for Sept and how we can get all children back permanently than have this higgledy piggledy approach which is distracting from transitions and has only established ways of working which are not sustainable for the larger schools etc.  We have been back a week and are already having to reorder gloves, aprons etc 

Don't get me wrong we are back and it feels good...but it isn't real life, it isn't sustainable  (my break even point is higher than the current limit), and what children have always thrived on is stability...and it appears we are far from that.

 

Well put!

I think it would have been better for the government to just admit they want/need  'childcare' rather than make it about education at this point.  Then maybe offer proper financial support to those groups that can open for working parents in genuine need of childcare.  I can see that possibly full year daycare are in a better position than term time, as at least they will be able to offer more stability to children during the summer months.

 

Once we reopen we have to restart paying rent, the same rent for 3 children as 26, and we would need all our fee payers and new starters back to help this shortfall.  Technically we are a new setting, and this year was the first year we've actually just about broke even, and we have very little financial reserves at this point    (old story- but last owner ran off leaving us in rent arrears etc).

[enuffsenuf]

2 hours ago, louby loo said:

Well put!

I think it would have been better for the government to just admit they want/need  'childcare' rather than make it about education at this point.  Then maybe offer proper financial support to those groups that can open for working parents in genuine need of childcare.  I can see that possibly full year daycare are in a better position than term time, as at least they will be able to offer more stability to children during the summer months.

 

Once we reopen we have to restart paying rent, the same rent for 3 children as 26, and we would need all our fee payers and new starters back to help this shortfall.  Technically we are a new setting, and this year was the first year we've actually just about broke even, and we have very little financial reserves at this point    (old story- but last owner ran off leaving us in rent arrears etc).

Oh That is terrible....but you will not be alone on the financial front I am sure.

[sunnyday]

I popped up to my setting today - this is only the second time that I have driven my car in just over 11 weeks - I felt absolutely full of adrenaline and not in a good way - not sure if it was driving or being 'out' but I will really have to watch this ☹️

[zigzag]

6 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

I popped up to my setting today - this is only the second time that I have driven my car in just over 11 weeks - I felt absolutely full of adrenaline and not in a good way - not sure if it was driving or being 'out' but I will really have to watch this ☹️

It’s amazing isn’t it.  I have become like this even when just going to collect my click and collect shop.  So full of anxiety it was ridiculous. So many weeks of not going anywhere other than walking the dog have actually been my idea of heaven! But the nearer I get to going back to school and the wider world reopening my anxiety levels are sky rocketing.  I need to get a grip on it as it’s not good or pleasant.  Take care Sunnyday 

[enuffsenuf]

1 hour ago, sunnyday said:

I popped up to my setting today - this is only the second time that I have driven my car in just over 11 weeks - I felt absolutely full of adrenaline and not in a good way - not sure if it was driving or being 'out' but I will really have to watch this ☹️

Sunnydat...on our first day back we all felt like this we were scared, not sure we were doing the right thing...even though we had a great game plan in place (if I say so myself as its author).....but by day two all those feelings had gone an I am now pleased we have gone back because like you I had got to the stage where I was almost having a panic attack at the thought of going into a busy place,seeing people, going back to work....and I am NOT a panicker!  So I completely understand where you are coming from but what I can say is once you get pack out there it will be fine.

 

[enuffsenuf]

1 hour ago, zigzag said:

It’s amazing isn’t it.  I have become like this even when just going to collect my click and collect shop.  So full of anxiety it was ridiculous. So many weeks of not going anywhere other than walking the dog have actually been my idea of heaven! But the nearer I get to going back to school and the wider world reopening my anxiety levels are sky rocketing.  I need to get a grip on it as it’s not good or pleasant.  Take care Sunnyday 

it is natural....but once you get back on the horse you will remember how to ride without fear xx

 

[finleysmaid]

It is certainly very easy to get in to the swing and then you remember that this isn't normal.. I had to go on the motorway the other day and realised i was being very ALERT as i haven't been on it for 11 weeks🤪 but it was ok. I am still struggling a bit with walking the dogs as there seem to be lots of people who have forgotten about social distancing and that makes me cross, i keep feeling like i should have a label saying "i might be infected" on. 🤣 (don't worry i'm not but YKWIM) I think after so long it is pretty normal to feel like this...all part of the coronacoaster!

I certainly wasn't very normal when a child wee'd ALL over the blinking floor and train track today (he's one of my oldest and we are pretty sure he knows when he does it) a whole area had to be closed and cleaned and then the toilet area again...wouldn't mind but this is the second day in a row....my patience was waining🙄 if he keeps doing this we will have no toys in circulation by the end of the week as they are all drying !

[Mouseketeer]

It is strange.....I had to get petrol for the first time since before we closed and even that seemed a major hurdle, I keep thinking I should push myself outside of the invisible safety net around my village....which is obviously rubbish and no safer inside it than out really but venturing to a different supermarket seems like a daunting task ....but being back at work was all good 🙂 

[sunnyday]

You lot are WONDERFUL - you have made me feel so much better - thank you x

Edited June 10, 2020 by sunnyday

[blondie]

It is very hard as we had all become enclosed in our own bubbles and for me that made me feel safe and the outside world and corona didn't seem real at all as I didn't need to venture into it. The first day back was scary and I think I went to the toilet about 100 times before we opened but once we had I felt a lot better and realised it wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. As a team we have all supported each other and when we have a worry / concern / need support we take time to talk to one of the team and I think it helps put things into a bit of perspective as others talk about their worries too so you don't feel like you are being OTT. We all know that we need to be vigilant about children, cleaning etc., and everything that goes with this  but working as a team has helped me become a lot less stressed. Hope that makes sense.

[Panders]

Quote

 

I needed to pop to ASDA tonight, to customer services - I hadn't been over that side of our town in nearly 3 months!   I certainly wasn't sure about going in there as I have only been going to our local Tesco once a week all that time - ASDA customers were going in and out of one door - at Tesco we go in and out of different doors - I'm sure ASDA could do it that way - so that was odd and then what I thought was going to be an easy drop off a parcel to customer services for them to scan turned into a technical nightmare of having to use a machine and type in details on the screen etc., not a happy bunny.

I have been out quite a bit in the locality though over the last few months and so I don't have much anxiety on the driving front or going to places that I know the set up.  We were on the M25 yesterday and as it had been shut for a few hours the traffic build up was really heavy, was glad it wasn't me doing the driving for once.

[louby loo]

I haven't been to a shop since before lockdown. I hear  horror stories about out local M & S, but told Tesco is organised well.  I have to really force myself to go supermarket shopping at the best of times, so I'm more than happy not going.  I have been to Bookers twice and I'm impressed with their organisation  

We had to drive through our main town yesterday, and we both said it looked like a shanty town- very busy with people, but lot of shops boarded up/closed/shuttered with only fast food and takeaway coffee shops open.   Lots of traffic, and all high street parking full.  Looked surreal.

I've been into work a few times with staff to sort things for children to do, so I'm partly over that worry now.

[zigzag]

Oh my goodness, so glad it’s not just me with these feelings!  Thank you all for the reassurance. 🙂

[enuffsenuf]

7 hours ago, zigzag said:

Oh my goodness, so glad it’s not just me with these feelings!  Thank you all for the reassurance. 🙂

To be honest this whole thing in many ways has helped me to reassess my own situation....for the first time in 20+ years I had a chance to step back and evaluate what pressure I have been putting myself under.   I hit a milestone later this year and I am really considering retiring which is something if you had asked me about at Christmas last year I would have laughed about and said I had no intention of doing.    The peace of lockdown and time for myself, the way we have been thrown back in the deep end with so little consultation and common sense, the jumping through hoops, constant producing of figures and statistic for the local authority, the failure of parents to conform to the systems in place for their protection has just made me wonder.....I sort of miss lockdown!

[Froglet]

I just wanted to second and third what people have already said. Because of role in school I have been in relatively regularly. I was still nervous before the first day and lots of staff were really anxious. All of them have said that they felt so much better after the first day was done. There was lots of new stuff (handwashing, cleaning) which we have got used and settled in to new routines. Children have coped really well. I’m loving having 6 instead of 30! We didn’t get everything nailed before before we went back but little niggles and uncertainties have been quickly ironed out. It’s ok!

[sunnyday]

Friday again!

The most exciting thing about Fridays now is that I get my Sainsburys delivery - how sad is that 😃

Happy weekend y'all 

[louby loo]

Hope everyones had a good week.

I've been out delivering bags for the children.... I'm exhausted, but it is nice seeing and talking to our families  

I'm about to do my online shop, even though I hate actually going to the supermarket at the best of times- it's defiantly quicker than doing it online. In normal times I could easily  do a weeks shop within around 25mins (then I don't need to validate my parking- that's my main goal!).  Online takes me about an hour 😩

[sunnyday]

56 minutes ago, louby loo said:

Hope everyones had a good week.

I've been out delivering bags for the children.... I'm exhausted, but it is nice seeing and talking to our families  

I'm about to do my online shop, even though I hate actually going to the supermarket at the best of times- it's defiantly quicker than doing it online. In normal times I could easily  do a weeks shop within around 25mins (then I don't need to validate my parking- that's my main goal!).  Online takes me about an hour 😩

An hour - get out of here louby - haven't you got 'favourites' set up - my online grocery shop takes all of five minutes! 😄

I have spent my day typing up 'transition docs' - have emailed to parents and they are all pleased with them so I can now pass the onto Primary School, have also been contacting 'new parents' looks like we will be nice and busy for September (yay!) so let's hope that we are back to some sort of normality by then (I won't hold my breath on that one)

Anyone thinking of going shopping on Monday? It will be so interesting to see if our towns are busy - nothing could tempt me to go I'm afraid.