Cutting

Chops and I did some cutting and sticking today to create some art for our window.

He's definitely favouring his left hand for both writing and using scissors but seems to struggle to cut. I'm not sure whether it's just a skill he's yet to master or whether left-handed scissors will help. I've ordered some so he can give them a go.

Roly enjoyed doing some chalk drawing with us at the table.

Lazy Sunday

Family Day

We have my sister and her family here staying for the weekend so today has been spent at home. The children have all played so nicely together.
While Roly had a nap this afternoon we tried out Chops' modelling foam balls which went down well. They are a very interesting texture! The three kids all made pumpkins among other things!

Judgement

We've barely even begun our HE journey and already the judgement is bothering me. Not what other people think of us - I'm very happy with our choices - but with what they think that I think about what they do. That by sharing a pro-HE link or posting something that we've done at home that it's somehow questioning or criticising what they do. Or the same with breastfeeding or cosleeping or a myriad of other parenting 'dilemmas'.

The truth is, if I'm sharing it it's because I know that some people will be interested. If you aren't or you disagree that's fine. Read the link, shake your head and move on. There are bound to be things on your newsfeeds and walls that I don't always agree with either. But that is fine.

We all make different choices based on the circumstances and information that we have, based on our personalities and history and that of our children. What is right for one is not for another. That is fine!

I am not critiquing your decisions, I am not judging whether you send your child to school or where they sleep or what they wear. If you and your family are happy then that is great.

Parenting throws up lots of challenges - we don't have to make them harder for eachother.

Shoebox Appeal

A friend from our HE group arranged a get-together today for us all to fill shoe boxes to send to Romania via http://convoyaidromania.com/index.htm It was a good reminder of how little some people have and what we can do to make a difference, however small, to their lives.
Chops chose to buy gifts for a boy his age and helped to choose some tinned food etc to send for his family too.

Spooky fun

Halloween came early to this house! We went to our local children's centre this morning for their 'spooky fun' session. The boys had a great time playing with the different toys, sand and water, messy play stuff and carving pumpkins.
Then, this afternoon to complete the theme Chops decided he'd like to dress up and play his new Orchard Toys cauldron game. It's a simple maths game and he was really quick at reading the sum then managed to carefully work them out with his abacus (or addacus as he calls it!)

Why we HE

For anyone who hasn't seen this before, just thought I'd share a blog piece I wrote in the past about why we chose to home educate
http://www.fourmums.com/a-work-in-progress/25-07-2011/home-education-as-a-positive-choice-emily-standing-in-for-jo/

Self portrait

This is Chops' picture of himself. Complete with 'nostrils for snot' and 'ear holes for wax'

The beginning...

Chops is 4 years old and Roly is 15 months so we're just starting out on our home education adventure. I'm starting this blog to keep a record of our activities and the boys' interests.
We are fairly relaxed in our learning but both Chops and I like doing some 'educational' activities (phonics or maths or reading a non- fiction book) while Roly naps.
Chops is currently loving Star Wars and superheroes. Plus dinosaurs and cars which have been his favourites for a longgggg time now. He knows the names of more dinos than I knew existed. He is progressing really quickly with maths and understands the theory behind addition and subtraction. He is starting to show a bigger interest in phonics/reading/ writing at the moment. He recognises most of the letters and can blend them to read simple words. We're starting with letters 'that hold hands' at the moment - oo and ee!
Writing is taking longer to grasp but he is starting to want to write/draw when I do. No pressure but it's lovely to see!
Roly is babbling a lot, I don't think it will be long before he starts with some words. He loves singing action songs, dancing, music and painting.