We( but I think really that means I) need to get a bit more organised now I'm working more so that the kids have things to do which can be done with minimal help or at the very least so we know where we are day to day and week to week! Given that I never know when Ill be needed to work it makes planning pretty difficult and very little has been done lately, even taking into account two consecutive 'half term' weeks. Chloes and the local one which happened on a different week in each!
Im lucky that I have the support of family and wonderful friends which lets me work but it also means any structure seems to have slipped completely of late and two people lately have said "send whatever it is they are doing with them" and Ive had to admit to myself that they dont actually have anything planned for that day and of course, off the cuff I have to find something! Far too much choosing appears to have been happening!( which of course is very doable at home!) We recently invested in an education city subscription and its made life so much easier already. They like it and are very happy to sit and get on with a set of games I can preselect while I work with the other or get on a bit!. Today i even managed to get through 3 loads of washing and tidy up while Sophie read, Connor did some Brainy Blocks and both completed some education city stuff.
Connor is going to stay with Darrens mum for a couple of days this week so Ive invested in an Easter lapbook pack from Homeschool E store for them to get on with.
He's really not at all keen on workbooks, although he will do them if he has to and MIL doesnt have broadband so he wont be able to use education city.
We were discussing the Easter Story today on the way to his speech therapy appointment and I was surprised how much he remembered from school so I hope it will make a nice project for them to share. MIL is a sunday school teacher so this is her bag!I also want him to have things he can use to practice his writing which arent too demanding and he isnt faced with pages of lines to fill. Hopefully a lapbook will be fun for them both!
Sophie and I will be going to London on wednesday for a course run by Kidscape for bullied children, we had to pay for a hotel as it starts early on the thursday morning so I figured we could visit a museum or something on Wednesday. All suggestions gratefully recieved! Weve already done the natural history museum and science museums. Im feeling a bit anxious about the course, I'd hoped time would be a healer and I'm sure it is but its scary how much the bullying she stuffered affects her still.
I doubt much blogging will get done again before the weekend and I have to go to Chloes school on friday for her OT assessment!
Monday, 25 February 2008
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Half Term
Came and went too quickly! The local half term was the week before so most places were pretty quiet and we could enjoy them!
We spent the weekend mainly slobbing about. Had Dinner with my parents on saturday night for Dads birthday but spent most of the next two days doing pretty much nothing.. still hadnt shaken the illness properly!Sophie in particular was laid up with a stomach bug all weekend and Darren just had the neverending Lurgy!
Connors speech therapy is going really well, he's seeing the same therapist he was seeing when he was in school. None of the others had seen him when he was in school. She said she was amazed by his progress. He really likes her lots so I hope this 'block' of therapy lasts for a while, She asked whether there was any way she could contribute to his report or anything to the LEA since shes so impressed with what we've managed to achieve since last May.
We went ice skating on Tuesday and I was really impressed with how well Chloe can now skate. Shes been twice with her school and showed off racing around. Connor had skates for Christmas and managed to take his hand off the edge and skate on his own so he was really pleased! Sophie learned to skate backwards thanks to a lovely lady at the ( very quiet) rink who was happy to share some tips with her. I was the only one who wound up injured after taking a heavy fall onto my knees. Its still black, blue and purple a week later! It looks just lovely when Im in work and wearing shorts( the only things cool enough to wear !)
Chloe spent a couple of days with my mum and dad and catching up with my brothers midweek and was really pleased when she made the journey back by train on her own without any problem( a big thing for her despite it being quite normal for the average 13 year old)
I worked on wednesday and fortunately Darren was off sick so when I was offered a load of overtime I could take it, wound up completely shattered after a massive 13 1/2 hour day though! Im enjoying work and took the decision to hand in my notice in the local leisure centre where there have been problems for over a year. Doing so was a great relief, employment rights wasnt something they were conversant with so its a weight off my shoulders for now! I need all the hours I can get my hand on, every penny seems to just disaapear on something or another.
Chloe came home with a request for £100 for a school trip, to be paid by the end of the week... not a chance Im afraid! Ill sort something out but it will take longer than a week! I just have to hope thats going to be ok, if not she cant go. The trip isnt until July so a weeks notice for needing the money is a teeny bit unreasonable I think!
Thursday saw another fab home ed group meeting where the kids all enjoyed a great 'paper aeroplane' activity organised by N. They experimented with different kinds of paper and flew their various models for quite some distance off the stage with varying degrees of sucess. My friend B decided to come along too with her baby F who is becoming a lovely toddler, shes considering home ed too :)
On Friday morning Chloe had a hair cut and dental appointment for a filling but wound up a sobbing mess in the chair and refused to have her tooth filled. It desperately needs doing and Im really worried about leaving it but now we have to try again in April... I have no idea how I am going to get her to co-operate :( Fortunately we went to visit friends after the appointment who took her mind off it!
Ive worked most of the weekend on and off. Theyve spent lots of time with Darren who was sent on an interesting job yesterday! Sir Anthony Hopkins was in Caerphilly, unveiling a statue of Tommy Cooper who was born here. The kids got to meet him and said that he was really nice but they didnt really know who he was and are more interested in watching Tommy Cooper. They were on a clip on Sky news too.
I was working again this morning so they went shopping for stuff with Darren for school( 'tuck' mainly!) and then joined me in work for a swim and the kids had a lovely time testing the new water feature. Its buckets which fill with water and tip at random intervals onto the kids heads. We adults all thought it was a bit naff but the kids think its brilliant!
Home for Lunch then it was time for her to go back to school! ( Pah) The Taxi always arrives too early for my liking but it was very early today, she wasnt even dressed ( they go back in uniform) so she had to get dressed properly in the taxi... I dread to think what state she was in when she got back!
We went out last night for dinner as she wont be home on Mothers day. We managed to see most of the Wales match before we went out and she was really pleased, we had a lovely meal and came home relatively early to catch England V France. Going to school in england where she is one of three welsh children can be hard on occasion, except at the moment of course with Wales riding high in the 6 nations she went off with her wales flag in her bag to celebrate St Davids day in style at the end of the week!
We had the school gerbils home for the week and despite one looking very old and infirm they made it back to school alive.. only for someone to smash their tank in the boarding house( whoops) oh well it didnt happen on our turf so im mightily relieved! She rang to tell me all the things shes forgotten which will need bringing to school next week when she has her Ocupational therapy asessment with the LEA( unecessary and antagonistic but its a long story!)
The new house parents are going to be gardening with them at weekends, the kids will be growing their own veg in the garden so Chloes really excited about that ( its also on our list- a space to grow veggies in any new house).They have 4 younger children and she seems to have settled well into her familiar role as 'big sis and babysitter' at school too!
Formal work was pretty much abandoned for the other two this past week, we just havent had the time! Theyve done lots of Hama beads and education city in the times weve been in the house and Chloes had her homework to do so now Im gagging to get back on track and get to 'doing something!' tomorrow!
We spent the weekend mainly slobbing about. Had Dinner with my parents on saturday night for Dads birthday but spent most of the next two days doing pretty much nothing.. still hadnt shaken the illness properly!Sophie in particular was laid up with a stomach bug all weekend and Darren just had the neverending Lurgy!
Connors speech therapy is going really well, he's seeing the same therapist he was seeing when he was in school. None of the others had seen him when he was in school. She said she was amazed by his progress. He really likes her lots so I hope this 'block' of therapy lasts for a while, She asked whether there was any way she could contribute to his report or anything to the LEA since shes so impressed with what we've managed to achieve since last May.
We went ice skating on Tuesday and I was really impressed with how well Chloe can now skate. Shes been twice with her school and showed off racing around. Connor had skates for Christmas and managed to take his hand off the edge and skate on his own so he was really pleased! Sophie learned to skate backwards thanks to a lovely lady at the ( very quiet) rink who was happy to share some tips with her. I was the only one who wound up injured after taking a heavy fall onto my knees. Its still black, blue and purple a week later! It looks just lovely when Im in work and wearing shorts( the only things cool enough to wear !)
Chloe spent a couple of days with my mum and dad and catching up with my brothers midweek and was really pleased when she made the journey back by train on her own without any problem( a big thing for her despite it being quite normal for the average 13 year old)
I worked on wednesday and fortunately Darren was off sick so when I was offered a load of overtime I could take it, wound up completely shattered after a massive 13 1/2 hour day though! Im enjoying work and took the decision to hand in my notice in the local leisure centre where there have been problems for over a year. Doing so was a great relief, employment rights wasnt something they were conversant with so its a weight off my shoulders for now! I need all the hours I can get my hand on, every penny seems to just disaapear on something or another.
Chloe came home with a request for £100 for a school trip, to be paid by the end of the week... not a chance Im afraid! Ill sort something out but it will take longer than a week! I just have to hope thats going to be ok, if not she cant go. The trip isnt until July so a weeks notice for needing the money is a teeny bit unreasonable I think!
Thursday saw another fab home ed group meeting where the kids all enjoyed a great 'paper aeroplane' activity organised by N. They experimented with different kinds of paper and flew their various models for quite some distance off the stage with varying degrees of sucess. My friend B decided to come along too with her baby F who is becoming a lovely toddler, shes considering home ed too :)
On Friday morning Chloe had a hair cut and dental appointment for a filling but wound up a sobbing mess in the chair and refused to have her tooth filled. It desperately needs doing and Im really worried about leaving it but now we have to try again in April... I have no idea how I am going to get her to co-operate :( Fortunately we went to visit friends after the appointment who took her mind off it!
Ive worked most of the weekend on and off. Theyve spent lots of time with Darren who was sent on an interesting job yesterday! Sir Anthony Hopkins was in Caerphilly, unveiling a statue of Tommy Cooper who was born here. The kids got to meet him and said that he was really nice but they didnt really know who he was and are more interested in watching Tommy Cooper. They were on a clip on Sky news too.
I was working again this morning so they went shopping for stuff with Darren for school( 'tuck' mainly!) and then joined me in work for a swim and the kids had a lovely time testing the new water feature. Its buckets which fill with water and tip at random intervals onto the kids heads. We adults all thought it was a bit naff but the kids think its brilliant!
Home for Lunch then it was time for her to go back to school! ( Pah) The Taxi always arrives too early for my liking but it was very early today, she wasnt even dressed ( they go back in uniform) so she had to get dressed properly in the taxi... I dread to think what state she was in when she got back!
We went out last night for dinner as she wont be home on Mothers day. We managed to see most of the Wales match before we went out and she was really pleased, we had a lovely meal and came home relatively early to catch England V France. Going to school in england where she is one of three welsh children can be hard on occasion, except at the moment of course with Wales riding high in the 6 nations she went off with her wales flag in her bag to celebrate St Davids day in style at the end of the week!
We had the school gerbils home for the week and despite one looking very old and infirm they made it back to school alive.. only for someone to smash their tank in the boarding house( whoops) oh well it didnt happen on our turf so im mightily relieved! She rang to tell me all the things shes forgotten which will need bringing to school next week when she has her Ocupational therapy asessment with the LEA( unecessary and antagonistic but its a long story!)
The new house parents are going to be gardening with them at weekends, the kids will be growing their own veg in the garden so Chloes really excited about that ( its also on our list- a space to grow veggies in any new house).They have 4 younger children and she seems to have settled well into her familiar role as 'big sis and babysitter' at school too!
Formal work was pretty much abandoned for the other two this past week, we just havent had the time! Theyve done lots of Hama beads and education city in the times weve been in the house and Chloes had her homework to do so now Im gagging to get back on track and get to 'doing something!' tomorrow!
Monday, 18 February 2008
Shes home
...and its lovely to have a 'full house' again. I spend the time Chloe is away feeling like part of me is missing!
Sadly shes come home to a house full of the lurgy, this viral infection thats gone round has hit us all one by one and Sophie and Connor have also has a stomach bug! I got rid of my viral infection and promptly picked up another!So all in all we've between us spent a full fortnight ill!
We've decided to move house, the neighbours show no signs of stopping their music although there was a lull of about a week its started again... on at 10ish,boom boom. Coupled with all of us crammed into our living room each night and I said "Thats it! Ive had enough!" and weve decided to move closer to town. The round trip from the village is 10 miles and we do it sometimes 4 times a day!Our petrol bill is massive! I pay almost £200 a month in petrol!Its false economy to pay a cheap rent on a house we hate and have to drive everywhere.
I spotted a decent looking house with a garden and much bigger than this one for rent near to the park, library etc but sadly it had gone by this morning when I enquired. Hopefully something else will come up soon.
Sadly shes come home to a house full of the lurgy, this viral infection thats gone round has hit us all one by one and Sophie and Connor have also has a stomach bug! I got rid of my viral infection and promptly picked up another!So all in all we've between us spent a full fortnight ill!
We've decided to move house, the neighbours show no signs of stopping their music although there was a lull of about a week its started again... on at 10ish,boom boom. Coupled with all of us crammed into our living room each night and I said "Thats it! Ive had enough!" and weve decided to move closer to town. The round trip from the village is 10 miles and we do it sometimes 4 times a day!Our petrol bill is massive! I pay almost £200 a month in petrol!Its false economy to pay a cheap rent on a house we hate and have to drive everywhere.
I spotted a decent looking house with a garden and much bigger than this one for rent near to the park, library etc but sadly it had gone by this morning when I enquired. Hopefully something else will come up soon.
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Half Term
Here... and now Ive ventured out food shopping its a total annoyance, Kids everywhere!
But it does have its compensations. There was a very quiet knock at the door yesterday lunchtime and when i opened it there was our old next door neighbours son who, on his first time allowed out in the village alone had decided to venture up and call on Connor who was delighted to see him. They used to spend every day playing together before he moved about 4 months ago and theyve really missed each other!
They spent lots of time chalking on the drive and using their target for ball games etc. Sophie drew a lovely sun before my nightmare neighbour from next door appeared and said "Are you REALLY going to let them do that??" and looked at me in horror then looked down in disgust at what she clearly percieved to be mess and when I said "Mmmm yes :)" muttered something about vandalism!
Ahhh so, keeping the kids awake with dance music all hours is fine, them chalking on their own driveway in the sun is antsocial! Fantastic logic there. I wonder how a drawing of the sun and a target impacts upon her life, space or health exactly? Hee hee. Needless to say they will be allowed to chalk out there whenever they like so she'd best get used to it!
The little lad visiting was her Nephew though so I suspected that curbed her a little and she turned on her heels and went back in!
The lads had a lovely time and played happily all afternoon, Connors been invited back on sunday and he's so pleased. They spent loads of time touching and play fighting and hugging each other as if they needed to physically reconnect. It was lovely to watch.
Connor woke this morning and promptly projectile vomited everywhere! Wonderful!
Sophies gone to a friends house today thanfully so ive been able to give him some attention
She spending the day with a friend from school who has grown several inches taller than her since last year!. So theyve spent all day doing girly things and Ive not heard from dad to ask me to get her so I take it everythings going fine.
Connor and I spent the day playing dominoes and using the sets of numbers to practice his times tables( thanks L for that suggestion!) and hes played on education city while I printed off some bits from enchanted learning for him to do. He's decided spain will make a nice project so weve been looking for pictures to include and bought him a project book to stick it all into.NO more puke thankfully! He even managed some dinner when we took my mother in law to the supermarket
Chloes home tomorrow and I can't wait! I have to try and find the energy to tidy up the girls bedroom tonight/tomorrow as its still a tip despite Sophies efforts to tidy it/keep it clean
It will be lovely having lots of space to ourselves to enjoy and she'll be joining in some Home ed activities with us.Her half term is different from everyone elses. the next time shes home for any length of time will be in March.. its such a long time apart but shes already said shes happy staying at the weekend and spending time with her friends out in the playing fields/village and doing the activities and trips she used to miss out on.
But it does have its compensations. There was a very quiet knock at the door yesterday lunchtime and when i opened it there was our old next door neighbours son who, on his first time allowed out in the village alone had decided to venture up and call on Connor who was delighted to see him. They used to spend every day playing together before he moved about 4 months ago and theyve really missed each other!
They spent lots of time chalking on the drive and using their target for ball games etc. Sophie drew a lovely sun before my nightmare neighbour from next door appeared and said "Are you REALLY going to let them do that??" and looked at me in horror then looked down in disgust at what she clearly percieved to be mess and when I said "Mmmm yes :)" muttered something about vandalism!
Ahhh so, keeping the kids awake with dance music all hours is fine, them chalking on their own driveway in the sun is antsocial! Fantastic logic there. I wonder how a drawing of the sun and a target impacts upon her life, space or health exactly? Hee hee. Needless to say they will be allowed to chalk out there whenever they like so she'd best get used to it!
The little lad visiting was her Nephew though so I suspected that curbed her a little and she turned on her heels and went back in!
The lads had a lovely time and played happily all afternoon, Connors been invited back on sunday and he's so pleased. They spent loads of time touching and play fighting and hugging each other as if they needed to physically reconnect. It was lovely to watch.
Connor woke this morning and promptly projectile vomited everywhere! Wonderful!
Sophies gone to a friends house today thanfully so ive been able to give him some attention
She spending the day with a friend from school who has grown several inches taller than her since last year!. So theyve spent all day doing girly things and Ive not heard from dad to ask me to get her so I take it everythings going fine.
Connor and I spent the day playing dominoes and using the sets of numbers to practice his times tables( thanks L for that suggestion!) and hes played on education city while I printed off some bits from enchanted learning for him to do. He's decided spain will make a nice project so weve been looking for pictures to include and bought him a project book to stick it all into.NO more puke thankfully! He even managed some dinner when we took my mother in law to the supermarket
Chloes home tomorrow and I can't wait! I have to try and find the energy to tidy up the girls bedroom tonight/tomorrow as its still a tip despite Sophies efforts to tidy it/keep it clean
It will be lovely having lots of space to ourselves to enjoy and she'll be joining in some Home ed activities with us.Her half term is different from everyone elses. the next time shes home for any length of time will be in March.. its such a long time apart but shes already said shes happy staying at the weekend and spending time with her friends out in the playing fields/village and doing the activities and trips she used to miss out on.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Beading Merrily
Today weve been snuffling and groaning our way through things. S+C both got a clean bill of health from the practice nurse at the surgery despite their illnesses. Ive been meaning to register them for ages but only needed to yeaterday and weve been here almost 2 years!
But most of the morning was greeted with great excitement, a big brown box and a delivery from http://www.beadmerrily.co.uk/
I was intending to keep it for Chloes half term but to be honest im too wiped out right now to do much with them so I let them loose. They shrieked and whooped and shared ripping it open with gusto.
Sophie produced some lovely things, churning them out at quite a rate! I had to remind her she would get bored if she did too many! She was happy letting her creative side flourish for hours in a way that drawing or colouring just doesnt satisfy.
Connor found his pirates kit much more difficult. We know he has a problem with fine motor skills so this is brilliant practice for him. He also cannot transfer a 2D image to 3D ( as proved through his ed posych assessments) so this is something which he needs to practice lots. He worked hard with me 'helping' ( ie sitting watching closely and advising on where he was up to in the picture every now and again) He also has a very short attention span and poor memory so this is quite a task!
It was really interesting to see how he worked through the pattern, pretty much like I work a cross stitch in practice, moving from one connected area to the next. But in theory I was thinking "well start here and work this bit then..." but of course he never did, always finding his own way of working out.I was really proud if him and he was proud of himself.. so proud he showed dad who upended part of it and explained " I thought these things were fixed or something!"
Fortunately after Declaring "Oh Dad! Do you know nothing??" he was calmed and Dad helped him restore all the hard work!
Sophies masterpieces are below.. Connor didnt finish his, such is the effort and concentration thats involved.Ill post it when he finishes it!
Monday, 11 February 2008
Dreaming of Far Away Shores
"I need some sun..." were the first words I uttered when I opened my eyes on Sunday morning( well more croaked and spluttered)
"Me too, you reckon we could run away? I mean, they might not even notice we've gone" Says He grunting into the pillow before he started snoring again.
Who 'they' were I never fathomed but started hatching a plan to get away soon. Somewhere, anywhere which might have a sniff of sun.
I knew our budget would be tight- extremely tight but I wondered just how little I could spend Butlins were advertising £50 per person per weekend break... I hate butlins, could I do better! £229 for center parcs... but not at easter... it would be expensive then.
Our favourite holiday centre in the new forest would be at about £200 for a week at easter....it books well ahead though, we probably wouldnt get a look in...
So I spent a little while sunday researching and 'plotting' as the kids called it... in short bursts between collapsing in a heap! But today it came to something. ( I like a challenge!)
Ive managed to book a week in spain..... during Chloes long holiday in April. Flights for all of us, a week in a mobile home and inclusive car hire..... £250... same as butlins!
Lets hope the sun shines. My Grandma always promised as a child she would take me to Spain.... now Im going..and it so ironic, its been fab here today!
This is the view we'll be heading for... the campsites on the beach!
"Me too, you reckon we could run away? I mean, they might not even notice we've gone" Says He grunting into the pillow before he started snoring again.
Who 'they' were I never fathomed but started hatching a plan to get away soon. Somewhere, anywhere which might have a sniff of sun.
I knew our budget would be tight- extremely tight but I wondered just how little I could spend Butlins were advertising £50 per person per weekend break... I hate butlins, could I do better! £229 for center parcs... but not at easter... it would be expensive then.
Our favourite holiday centre in the new forest would be at about £200 for a week at easter....it books well ahead though, we probably wouldnt get a look in...
So I spent a little while sunday researching and 'plotting' as the kids called it... in short bursts between collapsing in a heap! But today it came to something. ( I like a challenge!)
Ive managed to book a week in spain..... during Chloes long holiday in April. Flights for all of us, a week in a mobile home and inclusive car hire..... £250... same as butlins!
Lets hope the sun shines. My Grandma always promised as a child she would take me to Spain.... now Im going..and it so ironic, its been fab here today!
This is the view we'll be heading for... the campsites on the beach!
Sunday, 10 February 2008
The lurgy hits.....
The kids are down with it. Sophie last night, Connor this evening!
Sophie spent most of the day in our bed/on the sofa being dosed with Calpol and watching TV/DVD's
Connor managed his Boys Brigade enrolment at church( which I missed for the third year!) and dinner at nan's. Watched the Ireland/england game and collapsed saying he was ill and wanted to go to sleep please. Fortunately Darren had finished work and was ready to collect him.
Sophie made me laugh though. We called into asda to collect a couple of bits yesterday ( mainly painkillers nd throat sweets!) and I looked in the mirror and said "Oh god, My hair!" Id completely forgotten Id washed it, let it dry as it was and slept on it for 2 days!
She looked at me as straight as can be and said "Mummy, they know by just looking at your face that you are ill. Nobody would look that bad unless they had spent 2 days in bed"
well... gee thanks kidda!
Sophie spent most of the day in our bed/on the sofa being dosed with Calpol and watching TV/DVD's
Connor managed his Boys Brigade enrolment at church( which I missed for the third year!) and dinner at nan's. Watched the Ireland/england game and collapsed saying he was ill and wanted to go to sleep please. Fortunately Darren had finished work and was ready to collect him.
Sophie made me laugh though. We called into asda to collect a couple of bits yesterday ( mainly painkillers nd throat sweets!) and I looked in the mirror and said "Oh god, My hair!" Id completely forgotten Id washed it, let it dry as it was and slept on it for 2 days!
She looked at me as straight as can be and said "Mummy, they know by just looking at your face that you are ill. Nobody would look that bad unless they had spent 2 days in bed"
well... gee thanks kidda!
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Bleurgh ill again
We'd been having a lovely week, Id worked and we'd visited friends nearby which was lovely as Sophie has been very lonely lately and it turns out that company was just what her friend A needed and having met at home ed group they turned out to have lots in common and will probably end up spending lots more time together!
I came down with an awful cold last wednesday just as I was starting my first full shift in my new job and got sent home on Thursday from work after 2 1/2 hours as I was worn out. I didnt have much time to rest as I had 2 hours before Home ed group and I was needed to open the hall.
I'm so glad I did, it was lovely to see so many families there, the most yet!
Hello to everyone who attended and it was great to catch up with people I havent seen since before Christmas and their news.One family came as part of their holiday, visiting family from the USA!! I hope they will come again, it was great to hear how they do 'home schooling'
The kids all had fun doing crafts and having fun playing :)It really cheered me up despite me looking and feeling dreadful!
When it was over I packed up the car up, came home and collapsed in a heap which is pretty much where Ive stayed!
I was planning to celebrate chinese new year with some food and crafty bits for the kids but all that went by the by! I spent most of friday asleep and this morning, waking up and forcing myself to stay awake and watch the rugby. Wales didnt dissappoint thankfully making the effort worthwhile!I'm ready to collapse again now!
Thankfully Darrens mother offered to look after the kids this week on the condition "They bring their work with them" and was most impressed with the progress she can see theyve made since we started home educating.Shes still under the impression we spend all day every day 'doing school' but I suspect after this week she wouldnt be crushed if I let on thats what we do most days, just a couple of hours of structured work and Connor especially is making far more progress than we were seeing when he was at school. I havent even bothered looking at what they did, I havent had the energy! When he was home this week he spent loads of time this week on the woodlands junior school website playing loads of games! Its the most amazing site It seems amazing that a school provides all this!( certainly its not like the school websites Ive come accross!)
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/
MIL was just worried about them sitting "all their GCSE's like other kids" I told her I expected they might sit what they needed but I didnt think any child benefitted from the stress of sitting 9 or 10 GCSE's in one go, all in a 6 week period and rather than opposing me ( as I expected) she agreed! Looks like Home ed is an englightening experience for her too!
Meanwhile we are enjoying 'life in cold blood' on BBC1... and Im going to buy the first three series of Coast with an amazon voucher we were given for Christmas as they enjoyed the series but we didnt see them all and keep catching short exerpts of ones weve seen! Most frustrating!.
The kids are enjoying the French books I bought from the book people ( The lucy cat stories) and so Ive ordered more. We also signed up to a trial of education city which I hope they will try more of as I get better and can pester them to use it! Sophie seems to be enjoying it so far :)
I came down with an awful cold last wednesday just as I was starting my first full shift in my new job and got sent home on Thursday from work after 2 1/2 hours as I was worn out. I didnt have much time to rest as I had 2 hours before Home ed group and I was needed to open the hall.
I'm so glad I did, it was lovely to see so many families there, the most yet!
Hello to everyone who attended and it was great to catch up with people I havent seen since before Christmas and their news.One family came as part of their holiday, visiting family from the USA!! I hope they will come again, it was great to hear how they do 'home schooling'
The kids all had fun doing crafts and having fun playing :)It really cheered me up despite me looking and feeling dreadful!
When it was over I packed up the car up, came home and collapsed in a heap which is pretty much where Ive stayed!
I was planning to celebrate chinese new year with some food and crafty bits for the kids but all that went by the by! I spent most of friday asleep and this morning, waking up and forcing myself to stay awake and watch the rugby. Wales didnt dissappoint thankfully making the effort worthwhile!I'm ready to collapse again now!
Thankfully Darrens mother offered to look after the kids this week on the condition "They bring their work with them" and was most impressed with the progress she can see theyve made since we started home educating.Shes still under the impression we spend all day every day 'doing school' but I suspect after this week she wouldnt be crushed if I let on thats what we do most days, just a couple of hours of structured work and Connor especially is making far more progress than we were seeing when he was at school. I havent even bothered looking at what they did, I havent had the energy! When he was home this week he spent loads of time this week on the woodlands junior school website playing loads of games! Its the most amazing site It seems amazing that a school provides all this!( certainly its not like the school websites Ive come accross!)
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/
MIL was just worried about them sitting "all their GCSE's like other kids" I told her I expected they might sit what they needed but I didnt think any child benefitted from the stress of sitting 9 or 10 GCSE's in one go, all in a 6 week period and rather than opposing me ( as I expected) she agreed! Looks like Home ed is an englightening experience for her too!
Meanwhile we are enjoying 'life in cold blood' on BBC1... and Im going to buy the first three series of Coast with an amazon voucher we were given for Christmas as they enjoyed the series but we didnt see them all and keep catching short exerpts of ones weve seen! Most frustrating!.
The kids are enjoying the French books I bought from the book people ( The lucy cat stories) and so Ive ordered more. We also signed up to a trial of education city which I hope they will try more of as I get better and can pester them to use it! Sophie seems to be enjoying it so far :)
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Reading
Weve all been reading lately. Connors really enthusiastic about having the Roald Dahl stories read to him again. His current favored book is Danny Champion of the world... who was home educated until he could strip and rebuild an engine! So thats bedtime every night sorted.He's also reading books he's borrowed from the library, They are a sort of 'advanced' reading scheme ( more than hello biff, hello chip) but a scheme he's enjoying!!! and I hope he will continue with. Hes getting such pleasure from completing each book!( the stories hes choosing are interesting!)
I've just finnished this incredible book by Carrolyn Jessop
The story of a woman in the USA ( supposedly free) who was enslaved by her religion ( the cult of the FLDS) being told she was marrying a man in his 60's by her father and given 48 hours to sew her wedding dress...the fight she undertook to get an education, the abuse she suffered at his hand and that of his many wives ...and also her comunity ( complicit in this). She struggled through adversity to escape from with her children ( one severely disabled), only to have to allow her eldest daughter to return to the FLDS later.( and as a loving mother let her go unconditionally) I cant imagine escaping such enslavement and then having to relinquish your child back to their doctrine which was more about the whim of men than anything godly or connected to true belief or faith in the everlasting.
I dont often feel I can recommend a book. but I really couldnt put this down! I dont usually read these "True life" type books but the FLDS and Polygamous relationship aspects interested me!
Sophie is still ploughing through "Harry Potter and the Philosopher stone" and I hope she will stick at it! even though its slow going , at least nobody is saying "You cant read that!" Im enjoying it too... despite seeing the film, the book is so much more interesting!
She intends to start her own blog which will feature recipes shes tried out and reviews of books shes read. Hopefully that will spur her on with her reading!
I've just finnished this incredible book by Carrolyn Jessop
The story of a woman in the USA ( supposedly free) who was enslaved by her religion ( the cult of the FLDS) being told she was marrying a man in his 60's by her father and given 48 hours to sew her wedding dress...the fight she undertook to get an education, the abuse she suffered at his hand and that of his many wives ...and also her comunity ( complicit in this). She struggled through adversity to escape from with her children ( one severely disabled), only to have to allow her eldest daughter to return to the FLDS later.( and as a loving mother let her go unconditionally) I cant imagine escaping such enslavement and then having to relinquish your child back to their doctrine which was more about the whim of men than anything godly or connected to true belief or faith in the everlasting.
I dont often feel I can recommend a book. but I really couldnt put this down! I dont usually read these "True life" type books but the FLDS and Polygamous relationship aspects interested me!
Sophie is still ploughing through "Harry Potter and the Philosopher stone" and I hope she will stick at it! even though its slow going , at least nobody is saying "You cant read that!" Im enjoying it too... despite seeing the film, the book is so much more interesting!
She intends to start her own blog which will feature recipes shes tried out and reviews of books shes read. Hopefully that will spur her on with her reading!
Friday, 1 February 2008
Cosmic Ordering Delivers!!
Flowers Courtesy of Tesco ;-)I have a job!!!!!!! *faints*( a new role in work) No regular hours etc as yet but more secure and of course, any more hours means more money.....I had no real job security before, just an understanding that I'd be teaching classes.( but to be fair my boss is wonderful)
Not sure how we'll manage the kids but we will, we have to:).Fortunately we have some fantastic friends and MIL is pro home ed these days and so long as I supply 'work' for them to do she's happy to have them for a while.
Im hoping it will be mainly evenings and weekends. My first hours 7.30AM monday morning, staff training... swimming again! (URGH)
I bought myself some flowers( above) to celebrate and decided we'd make a carrot cake this weekend. I deserve some yummy naughtiness I think.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
