HE'S CONFIDENT! I'M NOT! BAD ME!

Hi all

Wow, that week went quick!  Can't believe I last did this blog on Sunday.  You must think we've been really busy and I suppose we have, but not because we've been out and about, we've actually done some work.

Callum and myself are feeling a little non motivated at the moment so trying to get into the spirit of doing 'work' has been really hard.  He just wants to play on his games, occasionally see his friends and bounce around on the trampoline as the weather has allowed us outside in the garden for a change.  Now there is nothing wrong with any of that and he has still being doing all of that.

I'm ready for the 'end of year' and having some time to catch up with sewing, gardening, knitting, etc.  But I'm also very aware of the fact that the open day is looming and we still have stuff to finish.  I'm also aware that Callum is now 13 and I'm suffering from one of  my 'aaargh' moments.  Those moments where I feel that we aren't doing enough; what will he do about qualifications; will he get a job; all those questions that all  parents must have from time to time, but I also feel that if any of the above fails that it will be down to me!  I know that everything is really fine.  I know that Callum is learning, maybe not as much as he would do at school, but he's learning what he enjoys and enjoys what he learns and it's at his own pace.  I'm pretty sure that he'll be fine when it's time to find work, but I'm still panicking and I do every year and I'm sure that as the years pass, I'll get worse and worse.  The trick is not to let it influence my attitude towards what we do.  I don't want our home ed experience to turn into one of me being teacher in front of him at a desk telling him what to do and how.

Callum on the other hand isn't having any of those worries.  He is certain that he's going to get a job; he's certain that it will be in computers (games design) and he's pretty certain that he's going to end up emigrating to America to do it!  I wish I had his confidence and his certainty, but I'm glad he has it.  Before we started home education he didn't have any certainty of anything.  He was a scared little boy; a frustrated and angry little boy with very little confidence and no idea of what he was good at.  Home education has taught him that; it has allowed him to investigate his likes and dislikes and has allowed him to grow in confidence in his own capabilities.  He may not be the most sociable kid on the block nor is he the bravest, but he has inner confidence and that is often more important.

So what 'work' have we done?  Well, we looked at areas and perimeters of different shapes and looked at Pi.  We talked about nouns, pronouns, verbs and adverbs.  We talked about what books we wanted to read next year. We had a discussion about how our local area has changed since I was a kid.  We wrote up the Horrible Histories theatre trip.  We looked up Amelia Dyer, the Victorian baby farmer.  We looked up the Charge of the Light Brigade.  We looked at the Tudor family tree.  We discussed next year's 'timetable'.  He rediscovered Lego and built several Halo models and built a base to put them in.

 He built an alarm for his bedroom door and we went to trampolining lesson!

On top of that, we've had visitors, bounced around on the trampoline, read numerous Horrid Henry books and been shopping.  Oh and, of course, played on the computer!

Cya

HORRIBLE HISTORIES AND A PIZZA HUT

Hiya

Firstly I would like to apologise for my moaning on the last post.  This really is supposed to be about Callum, not me, so sorry folks.

We did go ice skating on Friday and, as usual, Callum didn't ice skate, but sat with us adults.  They did the draw for the teams for the home ed 'olympic' sports day and Callum is in blue team.  I'm not sure what he will join in with and what he won't, but luckily he has some other kids on his team that he knows well.  Now just have to check out his wardrobe for a blue Tshirt; know he has blue trousers.

When we got back we pulled down all the boxes of science kits from the top of the cupboard and went through them deciding what we were going to finish and what we were going to sort out for the open day.  Obviously he got distracted and ended up 'playing' with the electric fan he'd made some time ago.

Saturday was a long day.  Callum wasn't really looking forward to it to be honest, although it was the length of the day and the worry about what we would do between shows that was bothering him.  Must admit I was concerned myself about whether we would be able to fill the time and whether he would want to come home early, but it all turned out really well and we both had a fab day.  Thanks go to Lorraine for organising.

Started at just after lunch by meeting up with Dawn and Stew to catch the train to Dartford, picking up Lorraine, Mouse, Boy Wonder and nephew on the way.  Met Carol and Squirt outside the theatre and went in for round one of Horrible Histories - Vile Victorians!  Was brilliant as usual; we've been to shows before.  Learnt about, amongst other things, the Tay Bridge disaster, baby farmer Amelia Dyer and various children's work such as chimney sweep, 'trapper' in the mine and factory work.

What to do in between - Pizza Hut!  Decided that this was probably the best place to suit everyone's tastes and it was pretty nearby.  Group of ten (4 adults and 6 children) found tables outside (because it was busy inside, not because of our number) and a frantic ordering took place.  Pizzas, pasta, salads, drinks, prawns and potato wedges and a bottle of wine for us adults.  Then a few puds and more drinks.  Surprisingly almost 2.5 hours went really quickly and the kids all had fun and food.

Wasn't sure about Callum for the second show as he spent the majority of it cuddling Carol and looking like he was falling asleep, but he said he was ok.  Terrible Tudors this time with the spanish armada attacks (particularly funny), Henry VIII's wives,  Anne Boleyn's sixth finger, Edward VI's death as a child and, of course, Bloody Mary (Queen Mary I); it is horrible histories after all!

Caught a train back at 8.45pm and got home around 9.30pm, so it had been a very long day.  Made a cuppa for both Callum and I and we had a lovely chat about the day before he went off to bed.

Today we have had a day at home.  He's been on the computer, played on the Wii with his dad and is now back on the computer again.

Tomorrow we get on with finishing some work off and getting some science kits started.

There no moaning from me, although now he is on Facebook, he can virtually poke me as well as physically, but at least FB ones don't hurt. ;-)

Cya

OK! I CAN'T DO IT - HAHA

Right!! It's Sunday, it's 11pm and it's blog time. I'm not tired, although I will be tomorrow morning when I have to get up!

This week has been a lot better than last week. Neither of us have felt quite so ill, but we have still felt like hibernating! Weather has been a bit better, so I think that helps and we have been (or at least I have) in full swing getting ready for Halloween. (See other blog for info on my obsession!).

So, what has been happening? Well, the Sunday after the party we met up with a few friends at Gore Farm where we rent an apple tree. It's an annual thing and we all troop up to the orchard, boxes in hand, get allotted our tree and pick all the apples off it. There is normally at least 3 large boxes for each family to take home, so well worth the £10 per annum it costs us. It does tend to be the adults picking the apples and the kids eating them or running off into the orchard/meadow to hang out and this year wasn't really much different. However, the farm now has lots of animals on it which it never has had before, so there was even less incentive for the kids to pick fruit! Was a good afternoon though except for one little glitch. We all wanted tea and cake afterwards, but the cafe has some strange rules about when they serve food, so weren't serving cake. Callum was not amused and decided to sulk, even refusing an icecream as compensation, but he soon got over it.

Monday we slobbed about the house, but Tuesday we were out and about. First up to the library to pick up our 2 DVDs that we'd reserved. Up and Gladiator! Up for entertainment and Callum has never got round to seeing it and wanted to and Gladiator so we can have something visual for our project. Whilst there, I returned a couple of books and asked whether they had any other Asterix books. We were led to a shelf which had loads on so Callum was in heaven. He picked one out and was overjoyed when I told him he could have more. Found out we can take out 30 books on his card. A bit too many for us to carry, but we ended up with about 10. 4 Asterix, couple of dinosaur reference books, dinosaur origami book (dinosaurs being next month's project), another version of Midsummer Night's Dream and another gladiator book which turned out to be a graffic novel which Callum seems to have taken a shine too. Then it was off to my friend's new house for the afternoon.

Wednesday was slobbing again, but at least we had Up to watch which we both loved, although it was quite sad to start with. Callum didn't quite fancy Gladiator today, but went off and found a game on the computer instead. Then it was Bang Goes the Theory on TV tonight!

Thursday was trampolining as usual, but Callum decided he didn't want to bounce again. Am getting a bit worried about him to be honest. I asked why he didn't want to bounce, but he just said he didn't fancy it. Although he wants to at his private lessons. When I queried it, he just said that he preferred his private lessons as he has more time on the trampoline. He did join in with the foam pit though and he interacted with all the kids, so not a complete loss.

Friday was theatre day! Group home ed visit to see Shakespeare for Kids version of Midsummer Night's Dream. Met Liz and her children on the train (completely by accident) which was nice. However, at Rochester station a school group got on which put Callum out a bit, but not as bad as he's been before. When we got off the station we were in front and the school group behind us. It looked like Callum was leading the way and he cheekily said that if that was true he'd continue walking back round and up the steps to the train station and see if the school would follow. He did, but they didn't - oh well. At least he thought it was funny.

The theatre was packed with school groups and Callum wasn't dealing too well with it saying he wanted to go home. Luckily we had the back two rows, so he sat between me and Carol, his favourite other parent. I'd got him some sweets and he calmed down pretty quickly. The play was excellent!!! Very very funny. All the kids enjoyed it and all the school kids were joining in with the shouting and clapping. It was wonderful to see actually. This was Shakespeare and they were loving it!! Would definitely go and see another production by them.

We came out and decided to wander around the shops for a bit with Carol and Lauren as all the kids were heading back to the station. We left them half way round and met up with Liz again and then Carol turned up on the platform just before train due in, so we all travelled back together which was really nice. Did mean that we were late for my daughter though! Ooops, my turn! hehe. Whilst she was there the postman turned up and our Horrible Histories DVD was in there, so we then had 7 episodes of that being watched - aargh! Was good fun though, although probably not what Terri was expecting - sorry Terri!

This weekend he's been on computer designing road tracks for racing cars and I've been art and crafting for Halloween. All said and done, a much better week!

Cya