Where I Live #4

I snuck off from a family ride to the beach the other evening, when a little something lovely caught my eye. What a privilege it was to be able to admire this charming sandcastle; a special surprise. I imagined the enjoyment some little people must have felt, whiling away their afternoon completely absorbed in creating this beautiful artwork. Thank you for the pleasure, left there for everyone to enjoy.

PS: Sorry about the tone in the last post. I was having a little bit of a moment. I am usually more circumspect and patient about these things. I know people are just looking out for my kids and I am grateful for that loving concern. ;0) xx

If One More Person Talks About "Socialisation" ...

... I don't know what I'll do. This has got to be the biggest myth about homeschoolers - that we sit at home all day, hiding away from the world, with Mama's boys who cling to our apron strings. Social misfits. Nerds.

I am not exaggerating when I say this: EVERY SINGLE PERSON who has an opinion about our homeschooling says: "But what about socialisation? They need to go to school to learn how to get along with people." One mother even said, and I quote, "They need to experience bullying." What??? Sorry, but this is getting a bit annoying.

So, I shall explain. I have two extremely social little boys. We see other children every day; either morning, afternoon or both. If we didn't, we'd all go stir-crazy. Our children have many beautiful, deep and lasting friendships. They enjoy playing and getting along with a whole range of people: babies, kids, adults. And they get to play for hours! What I like about home education is that I can engineer our time and activities so that my children are playing and learning with friends who will lift them, and help them be good people. Our families are friends; I trust the other parents and I know their values. I get a lot of pure joy from observing all the children playing together - I see a whole other dimension to each child and I am proud of what good friends they are.

There are many home educating families out there and there are lots of activities you can join in with, like park plays, excursions, swimming, gymnastics, sports, art, drama and choir. So, what I'm saying is, you don't have to worry about socialisation. It's all good!

The Urban Meadow

I'm as a big a fan as any of a freshly mown lawn, but there's something else I love: what I like to call "the urban meadow." Sometimes unruly wild grass looks so fetching; I feel like I'm in the country. And there's something truly heavenly about cool, thick grass under your feet. Ahh.