Sorry I've not been around for a little while. Computer issues, car issues, life issues!
How is every one? :-)
I've been trying really hard today to get the kids to crack on with some 'Table Work', as we are severely out of routine at the moment, but it's just not happening! DD has sat and drawn animals and painted water colours and DS has played both acoustic & rock guitar and just generally played.
I did get to the point of deep frustration but I removed myself to the kitchen, made a cup of tea (the British cure-all) and took some deep breaths! And, do you know what, I think it's kinda ok now :-)
Sure, I wanted us to do Maths & English today. I wanted DS especially to do reading (no worries there with DD!!) and I wanted to feel like we had 'achieved something'. But then I realised, we have. The kids are not fighting, we've had a lovely breakfast together of home made pancakes and fresh fruit while we've chatted and hung out, we're all washed, dressed & the right way up :-) and the kids have found their inner peace. They haven't got up, hung around my shirt tails making eyes at me and be-moaning "I'm bored". In fact, I honestly cannot remember the last time I heard either of them use that phrase. Because they are not bored, ever! That's a huge claim to make and a massive achievement. They have learnt how to fill their time, with pursuits they enjoy, rather than waiting to be 'told' and 'directed' all the time. How many of us as adults can even claim that? I'm not saying it's all sunshine and rainbows, and of course there are times they need structured routine, and other times they need a bit of nudging and guidance to come up with ideas of what they want to do. But other times it is entirely self led.
They both worked super hard last week collating all their stuff for their Arts Award - all their projects, evidence and research and presenting it all in a large A3 book each. At the end of the week they did a special presentation to a family friend on all they have learned and I was so proud of their confidence, competence and enthusiasm. Between them they have done:-
For DD - Marble painting, pottery painting, still life drawing event at a museum, theatre production, 2 pantomimes, a variety of Christmas art activities, textiles (making her own shoes, learning to knit & sewing finger puppets), an art from literature activity, water colour paintings, a creative writing course on poetry and an animation studio activity! And researched and learnt about Picasso and Susan Williams-Ellis and a smattering of Alphonse Mucha & Edgar Artis (who does the drawings of women that he completes with flowers or other natural objects).
And DS has done Christmas mice, making his own play dough to build with, review of a theatre production, papier mache project, attending the Primary Proms, making instruments & taking guitar lessons as a result, pottery painting, Warhammer figures, film review as part of the Into Film festival, Imagination Station at South Bank as part of the London Design Festival, an interactive Christmas play he went to, a bird house he built, newspaper printing & making, Hex Bug & remote control car drawing!! And for his research he has done poet James Carter.
Phew! A massive, massive achievement for both of them.
So, we were going to plant out the potatoes we've chitted today. So it'll probably rain the rest of the week and we'll have to wait until next week, or beyond. So, we're behind on the project chart that says we should've planted them on 8th March. You know what, I'll live with that.
Instead I'm going to make a packed lunch & take them out to the park. Because, after all, isn't that why we chose this Alternative Life in the first place?
Have a happy day xxxxxx
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