I’ve been stewing about this for some time now but next week I will probably explode when the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) document is finally published. In a nutshell, for those of you who don’t know about it, our government has commissioned a team of people to publish a highly detailed programme of what a child should be able to do from birth to the age of 5. In 2008 it will be a statutory requirement for nurseries and childminders to ‘teach’ to the guidelines. Schools have been following something very similar for the 3 – 5 years age group which is fine but childminders and nurseries trying to assess babies?? This is all part of a much much bigger aim from our government…to get mothers back to work! A couple of weeks ago, they published a report saying that stay at home mums cost too much! Get yourself back to work, send your baby to a nursery where they will be taught all these nice ‘new’ things! They’ll be able to spend their time assessing your baby so that they can report back to you where he/she is on the milestones ladder. UGH!!! On top of this all schools are being pushed to provide out of school hours provision for children who’s parents work. They’d like us to be open from 7am until about 8pm at night. UGH, UGH, UGH!!! What is happening here? Call me old fashioned but don’t we have children so that we can dedicate our time to nurturing them? Why have them in the first place if they’re just going to be offloaded to someone else almost as soon as they’re born?
The government states that they’ve brought the EYFS in so that all children receive the same early years education from their nursery nurse or childminder. And that it is not a requirement of parents. But surely they’re missing the point here? The children who do need these guidelines are those who have parents who stick them in front of a tv all day ….. they’re not the type of parents who work….not in our experience anyway.
There is sooooo much wrong here. As usual this government is not tackling a huge issue right where it should be tackled. Mothers should be encouraged to stay at home to play with their babies and give them the best start in life possible.
7 Comments
This is crazy, its punishing kids and parents by doing this, yes there are lots of lazy mums.. that don’t do nothing with their kids, but what about those that enjoy those precious early years..
To me its sad that the government feels the need to do this when there are bigger issues to tackle!
Its unfair on so many levels its unbelievable..
I’ve been reading the guidelines Nikki, and do you know what. I am ignoring them. I am neither going to push humbug into things or go back to work. I am going to be a stay at home mum for as long as I want to be, and ya boo sucks to anyone who doesn’t like it! Bill pays for me,not the government or anyone else, so as far as I’m concerned it’s our business and that’s that.As for suggesting children ‘should’ be doing this, that and the other by certain times, it’s just utterly ridiculous. Babies and children will do what they will do when they will do it! It’s going to make the already competitive mums at the clinics even more so and make worrying mums worry more. I get fed up at the clinics when I talk to other mums and get the ‘little jenny had teeth at three days and could walk by day 4′ type of rubbish. Do you know, I even have two mums look at each other in total horror when I said that humbug was still waking for two feeds a night. Like it was completely wrong or something!
All this trying to push kids along quicker is wrong, and I am shocked and disgusted at TB. I also take offence actually, I spend so much time with humbug going over things so she is learning whatever we do. From watching tv, reading or even shopping, all the time I am talking, repeating and getting her to learn. I wonder if you got to see the weather picture I made for her so she could learn about the weather? To think that some do gooder is meant to help her learn quicker is an absolute insult.
ok. i’m off now! Thanks for visiting yesterday. just a bullet point diary entry today I’m afraid. xxx
mean to add that yes, it’s more pressure for teachers which just isn’t needed.
No, have not been keeping up with Project Catwalk, haven’t seen it for a couple of weeks as little one has been pretty demanding
xx
DDD is Dudley my cat. His full name is Dudley Darcy Dickens.
No, I don’t buy anything on ebay. I do have an ebay account, but have never actually used it! I sometimes go and browse the ‘chanel’ bags, but have never tried to bid on anything. Don’t think I’d trust to buy make up from there. I love Debenhams, they have all my fave brands. We used to have Allders here too,and they had even more, like Shu Eumera and Shishedo. Can’t get them here now. I buy things from Harrods online when I want something that I know I’d have to go to London to get, like the Viktor & Rolf Flowebomb perfume (which by the way is totally fabulous. Like a stronger more powerful version of SJP’s ‘lovely’)
Why not start a cosmetics & beauty meme? I’d join it in a flash!
well, must scoot. have a lovely evening. hope all is ok tomorrow xxx
Oh sweetie, I’m so sorry you had to stay in bed all week long. How sad that your illness is back in force. I wish you strength & courage for facing all the pain & other consequenses.
I guess, this way, we will be closer one to each other !! 
I hope Dave is feeling a bit better from his hernia too.
I hope your come back to school tomorrow won’t be too horrible, I just read at Sadie’s that you already know that one of your pupil has kicked another teacher. Ow. I hope the kids will be good with you, at least.
I haven’t heard from what you wrote in your previous post, but what is that ? Your governement is pushing SAHMs to go back to work ? In France, I wouldn’t say that the SAHMs have any kind of support but I wouldn’t say that we’re pushed to go back to work ! All those idiot decisions have to be made by old men, who tend to forget who raised them when they were babies & toddlers ! Their MOMS !
This is unbelievable & I’m totally fed up of people denigrating the existence & importance of SAHMs. (I mean, the “good” ones, the ones who try to give their child/ren a proper education, besides school)
Oooh, so you’ve read about our decision …
OK, gotta go, I’ve written a novel …
Sending you my warmest hugs & my positive vibes for tomorrow. XOXOXOX
Hi sweetie,
I agree with you one hundred percent. I live in the US and even homeschool my kids because we wanted to have a hands on approach to our children’s education. Most public schools here in the US are terrible and are even graduating kids that can’t read. We have a lot of stay at home moms here in the US but we are made to feel very unimportant for deciding to stay home. What could be more important than molding the next generation, who I might add, is going to be running the government? All you can do is speak out about it and hopefully if enough mums get together, they can change things.
hello Nikki.
I am just like your moodgirl today – angry!
After such a long wait, the cake has arrived, but oh my god, what a mess. Because it’s been shoved around so much it’s ruined. I have taken photos and sent to the lady who made it, and Bill has left a message on her answerphone demanding a refund. I am so angry I could barely speak for about 10 minutes (unusual for me!)
I may share a pic of it tomorrow, or I may not. I’m so upset about it that I’m not sure I want to show it. I will have to buy a cake from M&S and decorate it with flowers myself. I am FURIOUS! I try to support small businesses (found this one via Country Living) but when they end up letting you down like this, you just don’t want to risk it ever again.
Oh well. Thanks for stopping by today.
you can click on the weather graphic I have each day, as I have it linked up there.
You can set it with your postcode so it’s always set up for your weather.
xxx
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