This Week and Inspection Day.

Charity shop finds on Monday.  Monday mornings involve a trip to the bank to deposit a cheque, pop in the coop and pick up any supplies (quite often bananas - I go through sooooo many!).  Picked up Rye some more books too. 

The hat he's wearing I did buy for me, but its a tad too small, and looks a bit daft - still it came in handy today - that sun was blazing this afternoon.

Playing with geometic shapes, after C has gone home.  Rye really does love these - I confess though I cannot remember, for the life in me, how they all go in the box properly. I must go back to the website and look at the photo so I can figure it out.

Photos taken today.  Gosh, today has been beautiful, and for me, began at 6:30am this morning.  Quick tidy of the bathroom and Rye's bedroom, (he's prefering to sleep in with me, and I confess it is rather nice to have his warm little body next to mine.), then downstairs to have a quick tidy round and disinfect the floor - with my vinegar and mint solution, in attempt to keep the ants down.  It does work a bit, not as bad - although I'd forgotten to put a pear core in the bin, that Rye had last night, and of course it was swarming in the little things. Sigh.

I just found myself wandering around the house constantly, wondering to myself whether to move this or that.  Formulating possible to answers for any questions she might have etc.  As the morning progressed, I really thought the OFSTED inspector wasn't coming, she arrived about 11pm.  She is one of these lovely people who is able to put you at ease immediately.  We sat in the garden, watched the children play, chatted, she observed while the children and I played with a punch balloon I've tied to the washing line.  Then we came in for lunch and the children had pasta with tomatoe and mascapone sauce and salad.  The inspector appeared very happy that the children were offered salad. 

Then once lunch was eaten, I took C upstairs for her nap, the inspector came up briefly just to check the upstairs areas were safe, then she went back downstairs while I settled C.  Much to my utter relief, she thought my observtions, planning, risk assessments, policies, permission slips, etc were really good and she said that while I need to look at how to develop the observation, assessment and planning folder - I'd made a really good start.  So very chuffed with that.  In fact, she made 3 recommendations:

1. Look to develop the observation folder.
2. Link with other childminders and childminding groups and share good practice.
3. Cover the gravel in the garden.

So, she's given me the grading, "Good", which is excellent and what I was hoping for.  (The gradings are: Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Good, Outstanding).  I won't have another inspection now for 2-3 years.

After she left, I fallopped and enjoyed a well earned cup of nettle tea and Rye enjoyed colouring in some the sheets I'd printed for him, off the internet.  Today, has been really good, just really nice to know that what I've been doing is good, the inspector is happy, C is happy, mum is happy.  Oh, bless C's mum, she wrote me a lovely letter for the inspector, raving about how happy she was with my service, how well C has come on etc. :-)  A wonderfully positive and affirming day.

And, to boot, we had a lovely afternoon, once I woke C at 3pm, in the garden playing.

Trying to hide in the box, followed by the exclamation, "Oh, I'm too big, darling".   I love this habit Rye has of calling me, "darling".  Very funny.

Oh incidently the punch balloons, I bought a pack of 5 from the Works for 99p and to my utter joy they are biodegradable balloons too!

Wk ending 16th May. Fun week.

A lovely week, visiting friends or being visited, crafting, playing in the garden, baking... my kind of a week.

Green juice is becoming a daily ritual.  Rye, absolutely adores green juice, even ones I've made that I thought might have been a little too green.  My charge slurps em up too. 

Riding on the red after swimming.  This week it was my charge that excelled.  She expressed great excitment when she realised we were going swimming; and wow, she swam, on her own and just with the inflatably seat thingy, all over the pool.  I was very impressed indeed.  Rye scared himself a couple of times by slipping on the steps into the pool and going under.  Still, his confidence in the water is good, and I'm trying to figure out a time to take him on my own, so I can start to teach him to swim - or I may sign him up for lessons.  Apparently, a 6 week course is £20 odd quid.

Enjoying the sun and the new sandbox.  I have to say, this box is a much bigger hit with the kids.  I'm assuming because its bigger so more room for them both to play without arguments.  Plus, the sides aren't as high as on the plastic one, so again easier for Rye to play as he's doing in the photo, and easier for my charge to climb into the pit.  She is funny though, keeps trying to sit on one of the corner seats, misjuding it and falling backwards into the pit.  Bless her.

Playing with the geometic wooden shapes.  Here he's making stars.

Creating Aunty Jen's card.

Trying on PJs that Sarah picked him up from a carboot sale.  I really thought, on seeing the pjs, they would be too big for him.. but nope.  Photo isn't clear; but Rye is actually roaring like a Tiger :-).

Licking out the birthday muffins mixture bowl... and keeping it well away from mummy.  Sigh, my own son, too!

The cool dude, sunglasses.  He is very taken with these. 

You need a haircut, boy!

A couple of the birthday muffins.  The majority were taken round to Aunty Jen's.

And the b'day card for Aunty Jen, that Rye made.  Bless him, we wrapped the card, plus the Hayes Chicken Manual, I'd bought her, up, and then went round to Jen's.  Rye gave her the card and kept saying, "Chickens, Chickens, Chickens,".. to which I kept saying "Rye, Shhhhhhhhhh"......
Jen, "Ohh, what is it Rye?"
Lil bugger had been listening to me Shhhhing him... and thought for a moment before replying.... "Ducks".  LOL.

This week saw the first Pagan Mama group get together, with some dramatical elements.  We read each other tarot cards as a couple of the ladies are interested in practising... one of the twins poured a hot cup of tea over himself, thankfully, the fleece jumper he was wearing, saved him from being burned.  Scary though, poor lad was not impressed as his parents sprayed him with the cold water from the shower.  He is perfectly ok tho, and we've made the decision that when at Sarah's, hot drinks will be consumed in the kitchen area, to avoid any further accidents of that nature.

Next week we are going to make soap. 
LMAO, and there was a very optimistic request for a guided meditation session for one of our meet ups, which I said I would write.......... however, on reflection, it's just not practical when we have young children bouncing around.  As it was, the tarot cards were trod on, poked at, mixed up and generally toddler played with :-)  Can you imagine trying to do a mediation session - particularly with my son's penchant for shouting, "Wake up, wake up."  I think I'll have a chat with the ladies, (a couple of them do not have kids, so I think we got a bit ambitious trying to accomodate what folks would like to do), and suggest that this group is more family orientated and looking at things which can involve the children, and also going out and about too, beach, parks, woods etc.

In all, the week has been fun. 
I do have my OFSTED inspection coming up, which is a tad scary. I will have to call the lady back tomorrow and arrange an approx time for the inspection.   It will be fine though, I'm sure.

OFSTED.

Ok - I'm not hyperventilating, or panicking, or going over my paperwork with a toothpick.  Really, I'm not.. well, ok, maybe a little.

Nervous because I temper EYFS with waldorf philosophy - and in some ways the two approaches are not that compatiable.  EYFS is much more hands on, adult led and pushing a child to reach goals and using play as a tool to achieve those goals.  In Waldorf there is less pressure and play is celebrated for it's own sake and not just as a tool for education.  I haven't read all the steiner books, direct or inspired that exist -but so far I've not come across the phrase "purposeful play", which is discussed in EYFS.   And regardless of my personal feelings toward EYFS, it is statutory that I deliver it.

Time will tell, as to what she thinks of the childcare and what recommendations she makes for improvements.
Oh, and that reminds me, I need to look into this self assessment tool now too - blah.
Right, off I go.