louby loo

Hope your week goes well, I am going to say prepare for the worst and hope for the best though We had our first case in our primary announced Sunday night, by Wednesday we had to give the parents a serious warning about their behaviour regarding siblings, school shut fully Thursday (mainly due to staff cases rather than children). We made it to Friday (with full attendance each day)- had the most fantastic party- have to say the parents totally changed after the stern warning from us. We have had endless messages of thanks for making it such a special Christmas for all the children.

Well we're done. Party went well, we had a covid safe entertainer (one of our parents) and she was fantastic with the children, and even Father Christmas enjoyed himself (after a week of muttering and moaning) Took my granddaughter on a train ride (narrow gauge) to see Father Christmas this afternoon, at just under a year I thought she'd be to young- but she absolutely loved it. I'm actually feeling a bit like Christmas now

Our local primary closed yesterday - we still had full attendance today. I'm pretty sure we will be put in Tier 3 next week, and I think our parents want to make sure their children get as many hours free childcare as possible before that happens!! Have a good rest sunnyday. Yes, it's sad end to the year- but we can all strike this year off anyway.

Thanks for all the positive vibes. Ive been off today, I'm really trying to stick to my cutting down of hours I feel a bit mean as I've said to staff this week is all about the children playing happily- no small group work/one-to-one etc. We are now going to social distance as much as possible from the children! 🙀 🤣 That said we actually have a fantastic cohort of children this year... they can and do all play happily together, and we haven't any children that need extra support from adults. Obviously we will change nappies, toilets children and administer 'magic water and a quick cuddle' if needed, I'm not that mean..... 🤣🤣. (have to admit the massive donated box of Barbies and Action men has gone down a treat this week 🙀 - we will sort it all after Christmas I promise!)

I'm beginning to loose patience with some of our parents 😬. We have got so far without any incidence - all good..... However, now our local school as cases and some parents are seriously taking the micky. 'Isolating siblings' were today climbing all over the railings by our doorway at collection time- and one parent was a bit miffed when she found out that the sibling would not be able to see our Father Christmas on Friday!!! She then asked if a member of staff would be available to look after said sibling while she saw Santa with her younger child. ... Erm- NO!!! We have worked so hard to ensure we have a safe party and Santa visit- I'm now at the point were I just want to cancel the whole thing. Some (most) parents have been respectful and fantastic .... it's just those 2 or 3 p**** takers. Rant over ..... just 9 hours of contact time to go. 😳 I just want my staff to happy a safe, healthy break. Most have been very low contact with their own families for the whole of the term.

Good decision 😁 I'm pretty sure if we weren't actually finishing this Friday- we would, like you choose- to mainly for the staff's mental health and wellbeing. I would happily pay back the funding if need be. It's been a hard half term and we're all getting old! We have schools in some parts of Essex asking to close Friday but they are not getting government approval.

I haven't actually given that any thought. I've just told parents we now have a 25p a day fairer funding fee to cover - snacks, craft activities, and extra cleaning. Meaning I haven't actually checked whether or not this is allowed in our LA, although I think I vaguely remember reading someone we could ask for donations but not make them pay it?

We seemed to have moved back to a few! Our children really have settled so much better without the parents hanging about 🙀 How was your day yesterday ? (other than snow that is!). I have just heard there is a confirmed case at one of our local primary schools (we're between two) ....... We haven't been told formally - just the local grapevine 😬🤣. We've come so far I just want to get through this week now. (plus I have just ordered all the party food for Friday 😳)

I'm so impressed with everyones raffles! The last time we held a raffle we raised about £35 which didn't even cover the prizes 😭 (and we live in a relatively affluent area!) I've always noticed it's always the lower income families that support these things the most - I guess it's because winning would really mean something them This year we introduced a 'fairer funding charge' (I think I stole that terminology form Mouseketeer?). Well it was 25p a day............. I was questioned left right and centre about it!!!!.................. again, it was our few lower income parents who all happily paid without comment. Re. Early finish- just do it from next year. We've always done this anyway, staff are more than happy to start back early in September, and the one's with younger children usually find it easy to get childcare that time of year for the odd few days if needed. Doing this means the staff always get a week to do their own Christmas preparations while their children are still at school I have to admit though- this year I am more than glad we do this. Parent's know the term dates well in advance so no complaints from them. One year we did offer a few extra days -which would need to be paid a full rate(paid in advance) obviously no one actually wanted to pay for them! though 🤣🤣🤣 Note: I've just realised we've been doing the early start back for so long- almost none of the staff even have children still at school any more! 😳.... but hey- we can now support our own grown up children in that week by looking after the grandchildren 😁.

Tell me about it!!!!! I had one parent ring and complain about something on our newsletter (within about 5 mins of dad collecting the child) when I asked if she'd actually read the letter she admitted not properly 😬 Good new about your raffle

Your preschool - your rules. Discuss with staff and go with gut feeling. All very well for the LA to give advice from their safe ivory tower - they really haven't a clue! 😤

It's such a nice feeling when you know your craft work is appreciated

Yes, we were lucky we did our 2 weeks earlier this year! Usually we have slightly more formal ones for Christmas, but they were done the park with the autumn leaves

Actually, have any on you played 'Rapidoe" (think that's what it called). I have to say it the only family non-board board game I've every excelled at. Nobody could work out how I could interpret play dough creations with such speed and accuracy ...... being able to follow two play dough related conversations at once obviously helped too!🤣🤣

Well to be fair I could see it involved digging - I could a mud and 'scoop' type arm.... I just assumed as it was yellow it must be 'sunnyday'!

A drawing of you planting tulips bulbs?

You're brave have your new starters now! Ours now all wait until January (messes up our Christmas party 🤣). That said we will only be taking them from mid-jan now as we want to keep an eye on infection rates etc before adding more children/families to our bubbles. We started Christmas last week (cards and calendars), and we will be making our tree on Monday. Usually we enter the Christmas tree festival at our local church - then have the tree afterwards, however this year its been cancelled which leaves us treeless!!!🙀 Having made my gnome last weekend have decided to adapt design and make our own tree. xxxx

As Sunnyday says- hair will grow, and mum will eventually calm down. Stay strong 💐 xx

I feel for you. It's hard not to take it personally and get annoyed when the whole county goes into tiers when some areas are low.

We had an email from a LA this morning telling us the first aid over Zoom was not acceptable, and the email liked to the statutory framework for reference.

First Aid done and passed. We use tigerlilly and paid £86. Very covid safe- but had to keep our masks on all the time (except when doing CPR) and this was the first time we've actually had to stay the full 6 hours + breaks- so 7 hours in a mask 😬. Usually it's a "is everyone happy to have a woking lunch and breaks and then we can leave early" I though I read somewhere that it had to be face to face and visual Zoom one we not acceptable? Well I'll be up again this weekend for 'cake and craft' ..... I'm planning on making and evergreen Christmas gnome for my garden - he never got made last year and I'm determined to get hime done this year.

Had a headache last night and that was it. No other side effects

Ive got a thumping headache at the moment, but arm feels fine.... that said I've had a rotator cuff injury and my arms been aching for months anyway!🤣 I am a bit concerned that I might feel fluey tomorrow at my first aid course - I'm worried that if I look a bit off they might think it's covid and send me home!

I've been trying to get one for ages, our fantastic village pharmacist (everyone goes to him rather than the Drs he is so good) gave my husband the 'heads-up' that more vaccines would be arriving very soon and said to try Asda

I rung my Drs to ask if I could have one as I'm not that far off from 65 and due to my job - they categorically said no- I even offered to pay for it! I had one today at 3pm, get in car hear on the news that they are going to offer 50+ 🤣