The Ballina Babysitter | At-home service

The Ballina Babysitter

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25.01.2022 Stickers on paper turned into glue on paper turned into glue on babies so they needed a ‘bath’ outside. We’re on tank water so max I let them have a day is a bucket per child. Today we shared and did one lot of hot soapy water and one of cold. An hour later and they’re still bathing i just need to make sure no one sees the dismembering so they can dry out later If you’re thinking about getting a baby I 100% recommend plastic. The hard body isn’t as nice to cuddle but they’re much more versatile. We give lots of love and a second life to so many op shop babies

24.01.2022 We do a bit of an eclectic mix here. I’d love to say I curate fantastic handmade activities every day, but reality is a little different to expectation. There’s no one focus and every day is different than the one before. No schedule, no timeline, pretty much no structure. I do some ‘lessons’ with Freya on our days off but when we have our friends over I prefer to go with the flow and see where the days take us. There are lessons to be learnt in absolutely everything, even if... they aren’t obvious. I can see the kids brains ticking away doing the simplest of tasks and when you’re only little, the small things can be very challenging. Here are some things that we have been working on for the past few days: Cause and effect in the pool. They throw in everything they can find and I have to fish it out with the really heavy net. We see what sinks and what floats. Repeat times 1000 Found a toad in the pool. Rescued it. Spent awhile trying to get it to climb on the stick before I died. Dug a hole and buried it. Did some creative work and made a cross out of twigs and sticky tape. Unravelled an entire roll of tape, spread it over the garden. Picked up tape. Collected more sticks for a fire Kinetic sand for sensory play. I set it up outside over the grass thinking this was genius so I wouldn’t have to clean it up. Should have done it on a tarp because now it’s all over the yard and I have to buy more. Practical life work - cleaning the walls in the kitchen. Everyone got a spray bottle and a cloth and a merry time was had by all. PAINTING! Always a crowd pleaser, we went with poster paints today. I set up this painting area in the treehouse and I think it’s easy to see why Moved three garden beds and rode our motorbikes down as I encouraged everyone along. Slowly we will transport the dirt from up top of the hill. After that we’ll move the chickens down under the mulberry and extend the bunny cage out further. I caught her digging her way to freedom today so she needs to have wire put in her run. Visit and feed all the animals. Pictured here are the ponies, we also have a rabbit and chickens and cats and a dog More practical life work.. taking out the bins. Freya loves helping to bring in the big bins so I got a couple of these to store grains in. They have been claimed for alternative uses

23.01.2022 I incorporate a bit of the Montessori philosophy in our daily lives ~ this group is a great resource

22.01.2022 It’s a beautiful day outside and both kids are scared of the bloody lawnmower. Lucky the floor needs mopping because it looks like we’ll be spending a lot of time indoors today. Those naughty animals still managed to get dirty so I set them to work cleaning them up

22.01.2022 My car is doing strange things but that’s okay because it gave us time to stay home and create this!! Small world play anyone spots any of these at an oppy you know what to do

21.01.2022 This is the main tool I have used to teach Freya some basic colours, and I’m using it with your kids so sharing so you can use at home too. She matches the colours and I name them all as she does it, she can actually name them all too but was camera shy. I love how you can literally see her mind ticking away in the video as she compares the shapes to the colours on the board. For the next level of difficulty I’ll find random objects in those same colours around the house and ...present them in the basket in addition to the stars. After that I’ll make a new board with even more colours. It’s a fun and easy DIY and actually doubles as a craft session too. Instructions below if you want to make your own. We had a heap of leftover felt that we use to practice our fine motor and hand/eye coordination ie. gluing and sticking felt shapes onto cardboard for mosaics. I two circles from cardboard and then divided them up into the slices. Left one intact and cut the other along the lines so I had a slice template for my felt. Cut out the felt and we glued it on and then for some ridiculous reason I decided the matching felt needed to be stars ~ the hardest shape to cut out EVER! So spend an eternity wrestling the scissors from your child and cut those out and glue them together and wallah you have your own colour board.

21.01.2022 I’m trying to change my business name for a better reflection of what I am offering now but I can’t work it out but please note and find/tag me as Play School in Pearces Creek from now on xx

20.01.2022 We’re more than just a backyard of DIY creations! I don’t get a lot of time to photograph the whole place, which is why I prefer to show families around when we meet them but I’m trying to improve! Unfortunately this isn’t my best photograph, someone was pulling my pants down begging me to keep jumping

20.01.2022 Okay I’ll say it.. we aren’t going to win any instragram awards for perfect play space but the kids don’t care so why should you. This is a solo income operation, everything is hand crafted and curated by me and brought to you by your local tip shop. The kids love coming back to discover what else has been added over the weekend! Today I attached a piece of PVC to the mud kitchen and gave Freya the top half I cut off an old milk bottle. She practiced her pouring and learnt about cause and effect for an hour. DIY, earth friendly, time consuming = it’s a win

15.01.2022 https://www.qtoys.com.au/product-categ/pre-orders/whatsnew/ I get a lot of our toys from this site. With an ABN and a childcare business I qualify for a wholesale account so that means significantly cheaper prices than retail! If anyone wants to order something please check out the site and let me know what you like the look of and I’ll log on and tell you the wholesale price. Normally about 30% of retail - not OFF but OF! ...

14.01.2022 Look who we found sunbaking on the sandpit cover Captured with a pair of kitchen tongs and a plastic bag from the library. I think I need to invest in some better equipment before summer

13.01.2022 Hi there, I’m Lauren and my toddler is Freya. Together we run Play School in Pearces Creek. It’s just like what it sounds.. a shared care/babysitting arrangement run at my home in Pearces Creek. I have been a parent for almost 2 years and caring for other people’s children in some capacity for the past 14. I believe in the value of attachment theory and practice gentle parenting with a few Montessori and Waldorf approaches thrown into the mix. Everyone is welcome here - vax... status and age are irrelevant. Hours are from 8:30 to 5:30 and I offer casual or regular care. The day consists of a series of unscheduled/uninterrupted play opportunities around the property including mud kitchen and water play, sand pit, painting, art and craft, animal care and generally a walk with the baby strollers. I believe in the value of allowing children unlimited opportunities for free play where they can explore and engage at their own pace and intention. Think of us a combo of farm and forest school where you get to drop the kids and run! Children are asked to come with a packed lunch, a hat, three changes of clothes and wet weather appropriate gear - boots and raincoats. Feel free to follow our page for inspiration, ideas or just to see what we’re about and don’t hesitate to message or call if you want to ask something specific or enquire about my availability. Lauren

12.01.2022 Nervous parents, are you out there? I see you I dropped my own toddler off for her first day of ‘daycare’ on Monday. Cried all the way there, and all the way through the first shop and the guilt just compounded all day. But you know.. I also felt free. I felt relieved. I felt unburdened and I didn’t fight my toddler through every freaking shop in the northern rivers just to get our supplies. It was incredible! ... I want to say: It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to need time to yourself. It’s okay to just want some freakin silence while you browse the cheese isle. They might cry when you leave, or when you pick them up. But they also might not. The little people are resilient and they also know you’re coming back. I witness it every single day, 30 seconds after that parent is down the steps the eyes are dry and they’re flinging puzzle pieces around like there’s no tomorrow. They don’t forget you but they do forget they’re missing you. I promise they’re okay. I promise I’ll be there for them. Freya is almost two and I have been terrified to leave her with anyone for fear she will think she’s been abandoned, or that someone won’t be emotionally available, or that she’ll just be ‘too much’. This girl has strong opinions and went things don’t go her way it’s upsetting for all. First thing a friend said to me was that she was worried that someone wouldn’t be able to comfort her son the way she can. That both broke my heart and made it sing! Someone get it and then I realised all parents have the same fear. What can I do to allay that worry? Tell me what you need! I’ll send regular updates, I’ll hold space for child AND adult tears, I’ll cuddle upset toddlers as you make a quick getaway. I kiss ouchies better and block as many frustrated hits as I can. I make sure we share, I label feelings and I empathise when they get big! Offering reassurance that everything is going to be okay Oh and I want to add Leah Harris from @lismore babysitting did all of that and more for us on Monday! So if you’re looking for an alternative daycare in that area she’s the person to contact!

12.01.2022 Is there anything better than the feel of fresh playdough? This batch is scented with aniseed oil, an odd choice from the kids. Link to the recipe in the comments, I do the thermomix version because I’m lazy.

11.01.2022 A visual of my availability next term if you are thinking about dropping off your little person for a day of play NOW is the time to message! Tuesday-Friday 8:30-4:30. I will only take MAX two extra kids a day so book your regular spot in ASAP or miss out!

06.01.2022 Lots of things happening at the moment. Here are some ideas for you to copy at home as well as a few pictures of some activities I did with the little people last week 1: animal to card matching game, this one is pretty self explanatory really. Just get out some plastic animals (or wooden but I prefer plastic because they are far more realistic) and print some pictures of said animals and have your child match them up. I plan to do a mother/baby series and expand into a fe...w other topics from here. This is a farm series. 2: everyone helps me to collect the eggs from the ladies on Thursday we collected enough for a quick lunch, normally they’re broken in transport 3: the cows and some food options were frozen, but it came as no surprise because the kids on Thursday helped me create them for the kids on Friday haha. Just pick something to freeze, Chuck it all in a mould and prepare to mop the floor if you get a toddler to help with the water. Then remove from moulds and present with various utensils to scoop water/salt/colouring. We did this one outside in the sun 4: remember those sticks I made everyone drag up the big hill? Finally put them to good use with an afternoon fire just before the rain came. Didn’t want those efforts to go to waste! Next time we’ll cook something over it, probably sausages on sticks 5: we got some more cooking done, naturally it involved scooping into trays again. We’re all about scooping. These are raw vegan lemon cheesecakes, everyone taste tested the batch as well 6. I had ‘help’ picking out new toys for our shelf rotation and I have to say, we did a pretty good job. A couple of favourites moved homes and the rest are brand new. I like to offer a mix of puzzles, practical life work, imaginative play and some skills based tasks

02.01.2022 Just hanging out in the yard when someone comes wandering over looking for a little snack. Of course one snack is really three because everyone needs to have a go

02.01.2022 Is it okay to cry in front of my children? Yes, while you let them feel that you're responsible for yourself. By that I mean:... YES, It's important that our children see us cry when we're sad. They often cry themselves and it's good for them to see that adults cry too. It helps them understand that there is nothing wrong with them for crying, that crying is a natural physiological response when one feels sad. BUT... We need to stay "the adult", even when we're crying. We don't want to cry on their shoulder or ask them to listen to our worries. We'll do this with our friends and therapist instead. We want to let them feel that we're responsible for ourselves and our own emotions. <3 So when you cry with your children ... ... Let them know that you're okay, that it's not going to last forever. "I'm crying right now, but I will feel better soon, I always feel better after a good cry". ... Let them know that it's not their fault. "I'm crying because I feel sad about my dad passing away. I love you." ... Let them know that they don't need to do anything for you. "I feel the need to cry right now, so I'm going to give myself a hug and cry a bit, I'll be with you in a minute sweetheart." <3 Crying is healthy physiological response to an upsetting event. Allowing ourselves to cry when we feel the need to, ensures that our body processes this emotion, instead of keeping it inside and having to contain it and manage it. It's healthy to cry when we feel the need to cry. If you're going through something difficult, such as losing a loved one, I invite you to be authentic and to allow your children to see your healing tears. When we try to "keep it together" and put a fake smile on, our kids can feel very confused and alone in their sorrow. And they learn to keep it all in too, instead of allowing their natural need to cry. <3 It can be very connecting to cry all together, when we're all feeling sad about the same thing. Now, if you feel that you need to have a REALLY BIG cry, I recommend that you do so at a moment when you're by yourself or with a friend or therapist, as it can be too much to witness for your little ones. . . To summarise: Yes, it's important that our children see us cry too. But let's not ask them to become our therapist. The message is: "I'm crying because it's beneficial to me, I'll feel better soon sweetheart, I've got this". With Love xx Manon PS: You'll find lots more information on emotions, nervous system regulation and co-regulation with children in The Mamas Together Group.

01.01.2022 When things feel too much _ I haven't written a post all week, it's unlike me. Yet, it's what I needed to do.... As I'm navigating my dad's ending of life, things felt too much. I had to prioritise and focus on myself. I'm sharing this in case you too, right now, are going through a difficult time. Things are quite hectic at the moment in the World, I know I'm not alone having that sense of "it's too much". I noticed I was a bit more short tempered, more snappy, less playful (some "fight" energy). I felt very low in energy at times, unmotivated, non-creative (some "freeze" energy). My daughter was suffering from that, she could feel the strong emotions I was navigating and suffering from my lack of connection with her. Her rage, one night, communicated that to me. I needed to make some change. <3 So here is what I've done: 1 Lower the expectations on myself _ It's okay to work less. It's okay to postpone the online course I wanted to offer this month. It's okay to not put ANY pressure on myself to write a post or make a video every day. It's okay to not work in the community garden. . 2 Prioritise _ What is the most important right now for me? Sleep well. Eat enough. Spend quiet, quality time with my daughter. Only do the work that feels good to my heart. . 3 Orient to the "feeling good" moments _ There is a societal conditioning in us that says that when something bad or sad happens, we shouldn't feel joyful. People are expecting to see us sad all the time and we feel guilty when we're having fun or enjoying ourselves. Knowing how Resiliency works in the nervous system, this is a big mistake. It is essential, always, but specifically when things are tough, that we orient towards pleasure. That we notice the things that make us smile. That we look outside at the trees, the sun, the flowers. That we let our body take this deeper breathe, soaking it up. That we allow ourselves to truly feel the "feeling good" moments. Friendship, gratitude, laughter, dancing, tea and chocolate, a hot bath. Being able to "pendulate" to the good feelings, is what makes us resilient in the long term. When we spend some time in the "good", we're stronger and more able to process the "dark", the "sad", the "angry" feelings. . . So here I am, taking care of myself: Lowering my expectations, Prioritising and Orienting to the Good feelings... so that I have more strength to feel and process the difficult emotions that arise regularly (the last thing I want is to hold onto these emotions). If you too are going through a difficult patch, I'm here with you <3 And remember: It's okay to do less. It's okay to prioritise. It's okay to feel good. With Love xx Manon

01.01.2022 I baby wear/rock to sleep ONLY! There is absolutely zero CIO and there never will be