Hygge Case Study: As A Childminder I Felt The Pressure To Be Like A Nursery

I am a childminder based in North Wales at the foot of Snowdon and I work mostly on my own with the occasional help from an assistant when required. Before I started the Hygge Accreditation I felt stressed, tired and I always felt the pressure to operate my setting like a nursery or even a school. I used to plan activities based on themes I thought that the children would like and when they weren’t responsive to the work and tasks that I set out I would feel deflated and a failure. I was constantly tiered and stressed and just felt that I wasn’t enough for the children. I wanted to enjoy my work again and I wanted the children to be excited for the activities that we would be doing. After my last inspection where I achieved an overall ‘adequate’ mark I felt that a change needed to be made not only to the setting but for my own wellbeing and the wellbeing of the children attending.

I have now created a vision of that every child matters within the setting by following their interests instead of what I thought they should like. The children know that their voice is important and that their opinion is valued. My setting is more of a ‘home from home’ setting with cosy furnishings and everyday things that will make the children feel that they belong. Parents are all aware of the changes that have been made and feel that their children are better behaved when they go home and are even sleeping better at night.

The main changes that I have made in my personal life is that I no longer feel the pressure to constantly plan what we are going to be doing and I am not up until all hours of the morning printing and laminating worksheet for the children. I make more time for myself and I consider my own and the children’s wellbeing above all. We go out daily to the local woodlands whether it’s raining or not, we take the time to observe our surroundings and follow the children’s curiosity whilst they are outdoors and do not follow a strict timetable. The children love to be outdoors with nature and I find that there is a great improvement in their mood and general attitude when their parents come to pick them up at the end of the day. I have built a shelter in the garden so that the children are able to play outside in all weather. I have made a mud kitchen were children are able to experiment with loose parts and by using the flowers that are in the garden to create a potions etc. Within the playroom I have removed a lot of the plastic toys and have more open ended resources for the children to play with. The harsh light is no longer used , but rather lamps and fairy lights to create a warm and cosy atmosphere.

I find that I am more calm and happier within myself although on occasions I do suffer with imposter syndrome I just take the time to step back notice the changes that have been made and appreciate how far we have come as a setting. The children are more relaxed, and curious and I also find that they are more willing to try new things and take on new challenges. They have grown to be more independent and are willing to take risks. All of the crafts that we were doing before were very much controlled by myself and they all looked the same. All of the children’s work is now unique and displayed on the wall.

My next step is to develop this approach further within my setting, pus myself further to create the ultimate goal of being marked ‘Excellent’ in my next inspection in November 2022. I also hope to be able to extend my setting making more room for all things hygge. I would like to be unique compared to other settings within my surrounding area. I would also like to adapt my knowledge further and continue by development further. I don’t feel that by completing this Accreditation that everything Hygge has now come to an end but rather that this is just the beginning.