just another morning here

Josiah had his Start Right sports day this morning. The girls enjoyed watching, and they got to take part in a race at the end as well, as there were a few other older siblings there, so they did a big brothers and sisters’ race. All very enjoyable

It was also Joe’s last session ever, which in a strange sort of a way I’m quite sad about. It is (as I’ve said before) such a lovely lovely nursery. Anyway, we’ll see them again next term as they’re happy for us to pop in whenever to borrow books, what nice people.

So that wiped out the morning; this afternoon it’s been yet another flat-pack furniture item to put together, didn’t take too long though. We sat around playing gamecube for a while, and then had to go and help Steve out at the garage for an hour or so, during which time both girls did a maths workbook page with me, then real life maths buying bags of crisps in the shop.

Joe and Abbie have both done some reading today – nothing too strenuous, but reading a book and then talking to us about it is star-chart-star-worthy here at the moment, so it is an easy way to gain an extra star on the chart. Much easier than being helpful, getting through a whole day without being stroppy, or remembering to brush your hair and teeth in the morning . Anna almost started Terry Pratchett’s Diggers, but then gave up when trying to play me off against Steve didn’t work – he had said three chapters for a star, and she tried asking me to see if I’d give her a star for one chapter, but I said three as well – good thing great minds think alike, eh

Actually it’s been really interesting to observe the way the different children have responded to these star charts – we don’t always have them around but we’re using them at the moment to work on a few particular issues as well as general reward stuff. Abbie is the one who is particularly motivated to earn stars, and was thrilled to be ahead in the star stakes yesterday. On completion of a row of 10 she earned a fun-size something or other, then the other two suddenly wanted to catch up! Anna can completely take or leave the reward thing, in fact I think she’d rather go out of her way to avoid earning stars because if she did that then it might mean that she was doing something we wanted her to, iyswim. She only caves in for the fun-size chocolate bar. Josiah is somewhere in the middle …

Anyway. Local lot if you’re reading this, I might not make it to group tomorrow, and if I do I won’t be bringing anything, sorry to let the side down. At the last minute I’ve been invited to London for an expenses paid meal plus show, couldn’t turn that down, but it means there are a few things I need to get done tomorrow – sorting out the stuff for the library display being one of them – I was going to do it on Saturday but now will be busy. And I might have to go shopping for something to wear … although I really should leave that until next week when the kids are at Laser Camp, it’s tempting to go and get something for the trip at the weekend!

Ah, Laser Camp. The long awaited week of bliss is drawing very close – Steve and I have been planning our week together. So looking forward to it! The children are as well That is, when they’re not planning my funeral – I think they think I’m going to get blown up in London …

Had a marginally more exciting day at work yesterday – I sold a car all by myself! Russ was with other customers, so I couldn’t let him take over as I have done up until now. It was a relatively simple sale, no finance to worry about, thank goodness. Steve still told me off for giving too much discount, but hey, it was a cash deal and I was feeling nice.

Prior to that I’d dropped Joe at Start Right and had to prise him off me and leave him screaming. Don’t have a clue why he still does that sometimes, and other times he’ll be happy as larry. He had a good morning anyway, it’s Sports Day week and he had two gold stars and one silver star on his medal when I picked him up.

Not much to report at home, I don’t think – some drawing/colouring, playing outside, music practice, reading, that sort of thing. Josiah has got into the red nose readers too, they’re going down well here as well at the moment.

This morning it’s been hot again We headed out to a Pick Your Own to, um, pick our own! I hadn’t been to the farm before but it was lovely, they usually have a 1:1 adult:child ratio but let me off – and the children did me proud, they were really well behaved, chatted nicely to everyone they met, and didn’t taste a thing until after we’d weighed it. I was chuffed when the lady asked me if they’d broken up from school and I replied that they were home educated – sometimes I don’t like admitting it, especially if their behaviour has been less than exemplary (what, my kids?!), because I feel that our life choice/home education option is judged by the way they are, sometimes. (Is it just me who feels like that? tell me it’s not, please!) But today it was a good conversation to have. Her response was simply to smile and say how educational fruit picking was

We got home and immediately the children popped some boxes of fruit round to the neighbours, then the girls set about making fruit salads, which we’re about to eat for lunch.

Can someone say anything that will make us more proud of our children?
Can anyone tell us that they can do something better than we know already?
And does someone else’s praise mean more to them than ours?

Eating my words? Maybe. To read the music examiner’s comments just made me wonder why I would set any store by it as I knew Anna could play well at that level, I know how hard she’s practised, and I would have been proud of her efforts even if the comments had been naff. She was proud of herself for having done it but I think in some ways disappointed not to have been able to pass something – does that sound stupid? It was supposed to be positive not to be able to fail, but after all the work, to not really have a benchmark, just a few encouraging comments, was a bit of a let down. Somehow a mark out of 150 would have been better!

Same with Joe’s parents’ evening, really – nothing they said was news to us, so it was a bit of a waste of time. Nice that they’re willing to give time to discussing how the children are doing, but really, does anyone *really* need to be told how their own pre-schooler is developing? Although Josiah’s reaction to the news that he can borrow books from Start Right was amazing, he let out a ‘wow’ gasp of excitement which was a lovely reaction to witness.

Perhaps I’ve just grown out of proud mummy moments? Although sometimes praise/constructive criticism coming from others means a lot to me. Disillusioned with the world’s view of success? Maybe – I don’t know. Ah well, dinner was nice

And on to tomorrow, in which we should finally reclaim a working dishwasher, now there’s something to get excited about.

I spent much of the morning at Start Right with Josiah today First of all he wanted to take his violin (oops, I mean Pip & Titch’s violin ) for show and tell so I said I’d stay, to make sure the violin was taken care of, and bring it safely home straight afterwards. Peter and Caryll (the couple who run Start Right in their home) were so enthusiastic, it was brilliant. Turns out (and I think I knew this, at the back of my mind somewhere) that their eldest son plays violin to a really high standard, so they were really supportive – and supportive of the whole suzuki thing too, to the point of wanting the teacher’s number to offer to publicise him in the nursery!

Came home and sorted out a few hundred loads of washing, plus putting purple into Abbie’s hair and some pinkish streaks in Anna’s (same pot of stuff, just turned out differently on each head!), before heading back to Start Right for their Maypole Dancing. Did wonder about taking my hesfes-ready girls with me to the very middle class well-to-do nursery school, rofl, people do look at me as if I’m a hippy nerd, there. Anyway, I do love Start Right, and on days like these you see why, they are just brilliant with the children – they can put something on that feels like a lovely little presentation, all the while being low key and laid back and not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. Photos are a bit random, but you can see how lovely it was, I think

Ran yet more garage-related errands, then came home for lunch and packing avoidance Actually have managed to do a fair bit, clothes and general stuff, I guess I have the advantage of a much shorter journey tomorrow so will have time to finish off in the morning. Steve (surprise surprise) is now telling me how busy it is at work and how he can’t get away to help me with the tent …

This afternoon the kids have surprised me (had a talk with Anna about her attitude earlier, which seemed to do the trick as she’s been quite nice since) by making bouquets and then laying the table – usually something I have to nag them to do before tea, so very pleasant to have it done without even having to ask.

When I looked a little closer I was quite impressed with their flower arranging! Obviously a very important skill to have My favourite was Josiah’s:

Have had to have some chocolate this evening – work stuff is taking up headspace and leaving us both fairly knackered – the last couple of nights we’ve both been in bed by 9pm, which is quite unusual really. Ah well, nothing like a good holiday to sort us out … and next week will be nothing like a good holiday! Nah, really looking forward to it and seeing friends again – happy journeys everyone