Pregnancy and Parenting Society Mark II

30 children is a lot to try and think of things for. hmm...

is this an indoor or outdoor club? I'm assuming indoor, due to the time of year. What sorts of things do you do at the moment?

How are you all doing?

Spoiler

Reply 665

balloon_parade

14

Original post by alexa123

I am not sure if any of you work with/ have children aged between 7-10 years but i need some help if possible.

I work as a co-ordinator organising volunteers for an afterschool club for this age group. The children love it, but obviously we need new ideas all the time.

Has anyone got any suggestions for crafts or games we can play with them?
There is usually around 30 children in the club and should be about 7-8 volunteers too.
So we can do games as a whole 30 or split them into teams of say 5 in a group and do it that way.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. xxx

Perhaps try posting this on the teaching board? Always people around to give advice. I would invest in some books for ideas, craft, rainy day, physical ect just so there's a range of things to do!

I would probably do a little bit of both, give children the choice if they want to join in a group game and then just have other activities on offer if needed. Maybe do some sort of group questionnaire asking the children what they want to do or a student council type? Then you can plan things to their tastes.

I worked in a holiday club for a 2 years (and will again this year probably!) and it is really hard to keep them occupied! Especially as it's after a long day at school and such. Have a look at some planning websites for schools too, there are some games and stuff that they could access, primary resources, sparklebox, there are loads.

Reply 666

balloon_parade

14

Dita: Huge (((hugs))) I'm glad you're thinking positively, it's the best way to be. You WILL get there and how loved is that child going to be! So cherished, by you and everyone you know!

Original post by Ninja Girl

30 children is a lot to try and think of things for. hmm...

How are you all doing?

Sorry to hear about A, it's a shame he has changed, perhaps he is just taking a while longer to settle? There are children in my school (placement) who still haven't settled, just keep the teachers in the loop. Maybe you could request to talk to them? Perhaps arrange to come into class and observe?*hugs*

I'm great, currently on placement so have to live away from the family mon-fri (only for 4 weeks, 1 more to go!) and it's been really difficult. I know it will be worth it but it's hard and I feel like I am being judged by people, you know? The 'I could never do that' brigade, as if I've abandoned them. It's tough. Although when I am in school I do really enjoy it and I am getting on quite well, it will be worth it!

In other news, I read a great article in Fabulous today and it made me think of this society, it was all about how it's becoming a positive life choice to have children first and then start the career, as we won't need to take career breaks when we're just getting into it. Here it is: (sorry don't know how to link properly!) http://www.fabulousmag.co.uk/fabmag/_fabulous/nolfabulous_features/1370173/Why-more-women-are-putting-babies-and-families-before-their-careers.html I think it's true (for me at least!) when I'm 30+ I will be looking to move up as others my age will be taking time off for maternity leave and I shall be waiting in the wings to snap up all the opportunities :tongue:

Reply 667

Original post by balloon_parade

I'm great, currently on placement so have to live away from the family mon-fri (only for 4 weeks, 1 more to go!) and it's been really difficult. I know it will be worth it but it's hard and I feel like I am being judged by people, you know? The 'I could never do that' brigade, as if I've abandoned them. It's tough. Although when I am in school I do really enjoy it and I am getting on quite well, it will be worth it!

In other news, I read a great article in Fabulous today and it made me think of this society, it was all about how it's becoming a positive life choice to have children first and then start the career, as we won't need to take career breaks when we're just getting into it. Here it is: (sorry don't know how to link properly!) http://www.fabulousmag.co.uk/fabmag/_fabulous/nolfabulous_features/1370173/Why-more-women-are-putting-babies-and-families-before-their-careers.html I think it's true (for me at least!) when I'm 30+ I will be looking to move up as others my age will be taking time off for maternity leave and I shall be waiting in the wings to snap up all the opportunities :tongue:

Glad to hear you're doing well in your placement.... how many more for the year? :smile:

In regard to that article, it is actually very much an exception to the norm.

The other thing to consider is many careers have an unspoken rule on the upper age limit in regard to barriers to entry. This will especially be so if you are coming in at 26/27 and you have a mostly empty CV, it will be a monumental task to get into a career after that.

I'm guessing unless you want to be a benefit scrounger the finance side to it will be quite challenging too especially if the fatherfigure is also around that age. The other thing to consider is the likelihood that a lot of relationships entered into in your teens do tend to fail...... so you end up with a broken home.

A maternity break doesn't have to doom your career and these days many large employers are quite good about it, flextime, work@home etc.

Reply 668

Original post by Erich Hartmann

I'm guessing unless you want to be a benefit scrounger

ouch, harsh much? some of us can't help it!

Reply 669

Original post by Ninja Girl

ouch, harsh much? some of us can't help it!

Did you even read the article and what it was suggesting?

Reply 670

Original post by Erich Hartmann

Did you even read the article and what it was suggesting?

I wasn't referring to the article though, I was referring to you calling people on benefits scroungers. You could have said "if you don't want to be on benefits" instead of saying "benefits scrounger".

Reply 671

Original post by Ninja Girl

I wasn't referring to the article though, I was referring to you calling people on benefits scroungers. You could have said "if you don't want to be on benefits" instead of saying "benefits scrounger".

Well.... while I understand it that some people will require benefits, but vast majority of them don't.

A scrounger is one who uses the benefit systems for purposes other than it was intended for... to help you through an unavoidable situation.

Hence deciding not to work so you can have a bunch of brats early in life without the financial security to provide for them because you could always rely on the state = scroungers. QED

Reply 672

Original post by Erich Hartmann

Well.... while I understand it that some people will require benefits, but vast majority of them don't.

A scrounger is one who uses the benefit systems for purposes other than it was intended for... to help you through an unavoidable situation.

Hence deciding not to work so you can have a bunch of brats early in life without the financial security to provide for them because you could always rely on the state = scroungers. QED

OR on the flip side, some people actually have children early in life WITH financial security in place, but then happen to fall on hard times. Things change you know, life doesn't always work out the way you planned it to.

Reply 673

Original post by Ninja Girl

OR on the flip side, some people actually have children early in life WITH financial security in place, but then happen to fall on hard times. Things change you know, life doesn't always work out the way you planned it to.

Yes?? What kind of financial security in today's economy could a young woman put in place when she is between 20-24? :smile:

Reply 674

Original post by Erich Hartmann

Yes?? What kind of financial security in today's economy could a young woman put in place when she is between 20-24? :smile:

Well at the very least, that she is in a stable relationship with at least one parent working and bringing in a decent enough income to support the family. I would have thought that's about as financially secure as anybody can hope to get these days.

Reply 675

Original post by Ninja Girl

Well at the very least, that she is in a stable relationship with at least one parent working and bringing in a decent enough income to support the family. I would have thought that's about as financially secure as anybody can hope to get these days.

20-24, supposing the bloke is also 20-24, if he has a fairly stable job on average he'd be making £8-12k per year without a university education. You can barely feed yourself with that kind of money per annum, let alone support a family...... and having been 20-24 at one time, I can tell you very few guys have a family as the top of their priorities. Sure way to end up with a broken family.

Option might be to find someone older...but that too doesn't always work out.

Stable jobs are indeed harder to come by in today's economy and with the way youth unemployment is today and probably will be for a time to come I'll be rather sceptical on any advice that one should have a family early in life.

Reply 676

Original post by Erich Hartmann

20-24, supposing the bloke is also 20-24, if he has a fairly stable job on average he'd be making £8-12k per year without a university education. You can barely feed yourself with that kind of money per annum, let alone support a family...... and having been 20-24 at one time, I can tell you very few guys have a family as the top of their priorities. Sure way to end up with a broken family.

Option might be to find someone older...but that too doesn't always work out.

Stable jobs are indeed harder to come by in today's economy and with the way youth unemployment is today and probably will be for a time to come I'll be rather sceptical on any advice that one should have a family early in life.

your assumption is that the bloke is also 20-24. It's a quite common occurrence for women to have older partners, or is that not even a consideration?

Reply 677

balloon_parade

14

Original post by Erich Hartmann

Well.... while I understand it that some people will require benefits, but vast majority of them don't.

A scrounger is one who uses the benefit systems for purposes other than it was intended for... to help you through an unavoidable situation.

Hence deciding not to work so you can have a bunch of brats early in life without the financial security to provide for them because you could always rely on the state = scroungers. QED

I have 3 more placements left which total up to 14 weeks at 3 different schools and then obviously classes at uni, can't wait to finish and hopefully gain employment somewhere.

Hmm, I was using the article as a way of showing having children young doesn't mean your life is 'ruined'. I wouldn't actively advocate it, but if it happens it doesn't have to be the end of the world. I was 19 when I had Bella and I'm only 3 years 'behind' those I started uni with and I'm one of the youngest on my PGCE course. So, although I've had 2 children, I'm still on equal stakes with those who haven't and as I'm not having any more I can focus on my career. Having children and then teaching (as I am doing) will work out perfectly for me. I know I am lucky though as I have always been supported financially and emotionally by my hubby and family. I have worked hard though, ensuring my CV is full so I am employable, I wasn't suggesting people should sit at home and be a stay at home mum for years and then expect a blossoming career, it takes lots of hard work! Perhaps it is a rather narrow spectrum, as you suggest? I just liked it because I felt it applied to me and maybe other student parents and therefore was relevant to this thread!! :smile:

Reply 678