louby loo

OMG!!! I had one of those many years ago. We had a small group playing a board game the other side of a glass door.... up-chucker walks to door and projectile vomits again the door..... it was like a comedy horror movie the children and adult the other side of door screamed in total shock. I can't remember how we dealt with it in the end I think told mum he wasn't ready, and she very quickly stopped giving him a full bottle of milk before he came in🙄 He did settle and became one of our well behaved pleasant children in the end. Oh, yes and a couple of full changes of clothes for staff!!

Can the nervous child do shorter sessions and build up? This is how we've handled our screamer, and it's woking well- as he goes home just as he's really getting Pack-away problems- We have actually put so much less out now, and we are also trying to go with things that can be dumped and the end of the session -like anything that can be recycled, lots of boxes and paper bags for 'shopping' etc! Our best new resource so far this year is ........4 rather large roadwork cones! We have a big hall and they haven't made it to the outside yet- they children love them. We just stick them outside the fire door at the end of session -quick and easy. Are there things already in the hall you can adapt? Our children love it when the 'big tables' are out! We use them to make dens etc, again quick and easy. Mushroom trays are your friend!......... particularly now, if you can get a few . They are light, stack together and we use them to get small amounts of our usually free choice bits out. Added bonus is they are great for washing resources. I guess if your 3rd staff member is able to return and do very light duties- i.e. just watching, supervising this could make a huge difference, as you can put less out- and have a 'staff runner' if anything else is needed. For drying paintings we just hand a bit of string and make a washing line across the windows. We use the park a lot as we do not really have an outside area, small yard type thing, so not sure how that will work from Monday. x

Oh my, that is not a good start 😢 Pack-away: not the best but look at it as free gym membership. We have a lot less out now, but the children seem happy enough with less resources. Technically we can leave our stuff out until the scouts start up again, however- I have not told the staff this as I think it will become difficult when we need to again. We 'semi-packaway' which is a treat for us. We've had no new starters yet, so we are certainly expecting more tears as we move forward, I am glad we did this week with just the older ones. Although that said we do this every year anyway. Does being a staff member down have a huge impact on staffing for you? Obviously very hard work with just two setting up/down each day, can you compromise about leaving some bits out- even if it's just for a few weeks until you get into routine? I'd already decided to step back this year, and I have a staff member that would like extra hours which is good - but we'll still be balancing on a knife edge if staff need to isolate etc. I think it's going to be a difficult year for a lot of us really. Take care of yourself, and treat yourself kindly this weekend. 💐🍷🍫 xxx

Friday again. I'm back to having Fridays of again 😁 Our first proper week back with children, and I have to say it went so well. (hope they're having a good day today too 😳) The children settled back unbelievably well, and as we only had our returners in this week -with no new children it felt like we had never been away, the children seemed genuinly happy to see all the staff again. We had our first C-19 query on Wednesday when a sibling was sent home from school, and Thursday with a staff members child who was almost not allowed in school. Both sorted and no issues thankfully. However I do feel it's going to be a long winter could and flu season!

Maybe this is his actual game plan? It will be far quicker and easier for him if you give him the child. I know our parents are actually loving our new system, for us it works well- but I can see this is not practical with multi rooms full day care though

Do you have a local Round Table/Rotary Club that will help? (or whatever those type things are called nowadays)

I guess maybe if you're a full daycare with various rooms that act as bubbles it might cause an issue ? For us, as a one room big bubble it's not really an issue as we do don't really have them in now (drop at door). The odd one that needs to come in we do not make them wear mask- we already have the children in who are the super-spreaders anyway! Visiting prospective parents wanting a show around I guess we would ask- but as we're currently full we're not doing show arounds anyway.

Yay 😊 Just get back to 'playing with children all day", and stop trying to get ideas above your station !!🤣🤣

Yes, and you ask the child how they feel once the parent has gone- and they burst out crying saying saying .... I want my mummy/daddy 😬

Yes we have had a good day too. No new starters this week just our returners. One screamed for 15min (I did try and point out that screaming was against covid policy -due to air flying around- but this didn't wash 🤣). To be fair he only started after the Feb half term and hadn't really settled before we closed. We also had our 'loud moaner' that has been moaning loudly since last Nov when she started 😭😭 Both were laughing and playing by the end though. We found the cleaning a bit hard going ... more working out how and what to do really. Already tweaking a few ideas to improve/make easier. Parents good- but didn't really get the concept of bring a change of clothes bag and leaving it. One little girl had a couple of dummies (never seen her use one!) small tin of Vaseline, a lipsil.............and a TAMPON!!!!!! Guess she raided mums bag then 🤣

You too xx

At the moment we haven't had one question from parents and we reopen on Monday. Not sure what's more worrying. 😳

I have to say I can't find the enthusiasm to even look at it yet- which is very unlike me . I printed it off, noted that the reading didn't 'flow' (when mid sentence moves to next page in tables etc), and haven't looked at it since. I honestly think covid has finished me.

Well I'm already shattered... and we aren't even open for the children until Monday! We have had three days of sorting, cleaning and planning, and still not 100% sure how it all going to work Monday- but at least the whole team are thinking the same way now

When I had my registration visit the inspector said I could list my myself as L6- but couldn't have the 1.13 ratio.

Nor us!

Me too- the poster thingy is manageable at this late date.

Is it just the poster type document - or have a missed this one?

We're in a scout hut and they fitted infra red heaters this time last year. They are so much better than the fans- but our fans were old anyway. We do get hot spots, but they heat up in minutes. Not sure cost wise though.

Yes. Good luck everyone, and well done to all those that have remained open all summer We're in from Wednesday to get the hall ready, Children back next Monday. I'm actually looking forward to it now

I've had a fair few where you wake up so relieved it's not real.... but it takes quite a little while to actually 'get over' the dream as it seemed so real 😢 But I do seem to forget them very quickly, and usual by morning I can't remember the details, just that it was awful at the time. Rollercoaster - I guess that's what we're all facing in the next week or so ?

Not sure what going on inside your head then!😳 Do you have any weddings coming up? I have weird dreams sometimes. Usually pretty boring like going shopping in Tesco etc - then I'm not sure sure what shopping I actually have in the cupboard whether or not I did buy stuff or just dreamt I have. I once dreamt often came- but the children arms kept falling off and we had to keep 'clicking' back in (like a doll)

Go to work, don't go to work, stay at home, don't stay at home........

I'm in the middle of one those conventions via email ............. like you I'm really not sure what's happing now. I 'think' we have deferred the place until Jan, 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤣