Thursday we were at gymnastics, a special Home Ed class we go to. Then we decided to have lunch out and head to the library. We don't always just go to our local library, we like to go around to different ones. The one we went to on Thursday was a particular favourite that has multiple storeys (as in floors/ levels - obviously it also has multiple stories too, along with reams of non-fiction too ;-) ). It's a bit further to go than usual but worth the effort. We spent two hours just reading and choosing books, and then treated ourselves to afternoon tea before heading back for Badgers (St John Ambulance group) where the kids made lanterns for Chinese New Year and learnt how to correctly put each other in the recovery position.
On Friday we were out on a group trip, again with a lovely bunch of Home Ed people - having lots of farm and outdoor fun, to tie in with DD's Farming project this month. She was particularly thrilled she got picked to feed a Shetland Pony. My personal favourite was the leopard tortoise we met! I tried to get a picture of him but my phone packed up :-(
And on to today. Today was a difficult day to get off the ground. We were all tired from a group trip out yesterday, plus DS is ordinarily allowed to play computer games on the weekend - so he usually starts his Saturday with Minecraft or some time on the family tablet. However, last weeked and the one before he had some extremely severe meltdowns playing a new computer game we had allowed him to get. We're not big on computers in our house, and I've mentioned before we limit computer/ tablet time to weekends only (not campaigning - just our preference :-) ) But the obsession and meltdowns over this particular game have been so extreme and all encompassing that we have had to say no computers for a while. He is finding this hard but we're supporting him through it.
So, despite a bumpy start, we did nonetheless get our day off the ground. Darling Husband (DH) took DS to a new gaming/ Warhammer/ Dungeons & Dragons shop that has opened locally. It's a real 'collecting for the love of it' rather than commercial place, and the lady that runs it has a 'bits' basket, with figures and dice for only 50p. So DS was thrilled to spend his pocket money on some new figures, and came home excited to paint :-) He even bought a stallion for his sister, who also enjoys painting and playing games with them.
It was still hard for DS throughout the day to maintain focus on anything for any sustained period of time, he kept wanting to revert back to playing computer games, but we persevered. To lift his spirits in the afternoon, we dug out the molds and made chocolates together :-)
Afterwards, a very dear friend came over for a visit, bringing school supplies for the kids - new pencils, sketch pads and scratch & sniff notebooks! They were very excited by these :-) She has planned a special project for us, as she is doing a charity trek in Patagonia starting next week - so she has prepared a project for the kids that tracks her route so they can learn about the places she will will be passing through. She is also planning some special surprises for when she gets back!
I feel so lucky and blessed to have friends who are interested to help and be involved in this wonderful journey. She is so passionate about what she does, her enthusiasm is infectious. DD is already planning future adventures she wants to go on :-)
I'm grateful, despite all the challenges, that the world is open to my children again, in all it's wonder, majesty and glorious technicolour, in a way that it never was in school.
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