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Hello there, Home Ed fans! It's been a while, at least it seems like it. Maybe it's only been a week. Anyways, I hope you've all been well and not been unlucky enough to catch the dreaded snot rot that seems to be going around. I have no idea how it's poked its ugly finger into our house. We rarely get ill anymore -WHICH IS AWESOME- because the kids aren't surrounded by other sick children in mainstream.
Well within the time that has past since last writing I have applied for a couple of writing jobs. both for magazines, one online and the other published. The published one is weirdly enough a content magazine designed to help teachers in schools to give them ideas for lesson plans and inspirational videos for their students in both junior and senior.
Along with creating actual lessons by designing questions to go along with video content for class time fillers and as part of new topics. Well, I didn't get it, they emailed me today and my cv just wasn't strong enough. The other one is for a start-up online fashion and lifestyle mag. Again, content creating but also product testing and reviewing. I actually like the sound of this one better anyway. But if I don't get it, which I'm not expecting to (considering age, experience and qualifications) then I'll just keep on searching and working on my course. Speaking of which is going well and I've almost finished one-third of it. It's actually quite insightful although the assessment workbooks and acknowledgement workbooks repeat the same questions sometimes and that is super annoying.
Moving onto home ed! At the weekend we decided to sort out the dining room and make space for my old drum kit. *O said he'd like to play and I agreed on the condition that he actually learn to play them and not just crash about like Animal from the muppets.
He's had a couple of lessons and he's already got the hang of basic beat. I love that I can teach him. I always wondered if I'd ever get the chance pass down my skill. I hope he keeps it up but if he doesn't I might just start up again myself. I've quite enjoyed being a dining room rockstar this week!
I've found a new online learning platform called iDEA. Created by The Duke of York it's a bit like Duke of Edinburgh awards except it's online and you earn digital badges. It's free and a nice alternative if your kids aren't very outdoorsy for DoE/scouts/guides or if they enjoy digital learning. I would say it's probably more appealing for 7-13-year-olds but there is no age limit.
*N is looking into work experience right now and as she thinks a career in childcare might be appealing she's going to apply to some junior schools for their foundation stage year as a TA. I think she'll be really good at it. She's already a Young Leader at a brownies division, which is the next step after being a Girl Guide. She's been within the Guiding community since she was 5. Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and now a Young Leader. We are so proud of her. She's achieved so much and I know she will go on to do great things.
We're waiting for a space to open at our local St John's Ambulance unit for her to try out. It's a great way to learn new skills and make new friends. She'll get to help out as a first aider at concerts and festivals, and may even lead to a career in the emergency services if she enjoys it.
Our middle girly, *I, made the most amazing vegan 3 tier cake today, it put the vegan muffins I bought from a vegan health shop to utter shame. In fact, the muffins I bought from the shop were so bad I couldn't finish mine and gave it to lillypigs (our dog). She's going to make a small fortune if she keeps baking like that!
A couple of weeks ago we went to a quiz night and epically lost but had a really great time doing so. It's the first we'd heard of the pub doing a quiz night so we were really excited about it, only to find that's it had been going on for about 18 months and that night was the last one they were doing. So now we are on the hunt for a family friendly pub that hosts quiz nights that isn't in the town centre. I have a feeling we'll be hard pushed! But it was a really fun night. *O wasn't that keen but bottomless diet coke and a bowl of chips soon put a smile on his chops. The girls loved being out late, we didn't get in until about 9:30 pm. We're never out that late! So I really hope we find a replacement soon.
Last Thursday we took a chance and arranged to go and spend the evening playing table tennis, or wiff-waff as my lot now call it.
There's a Table Tennis group that meet up a few times a week for lessons, tournament club, and a social game night. The hubz, *N and *O went (*I was poorly sick so we stayed home) and came back beaming with happiness and laughter. It was lovely to see *O's little cheeks all red and puffed out. They want to go again so I'm really happy about, I like it when we find something we all like doing.
Lately, they've all got into roller skating and I struck lucky on a free pair of girls roller boots on the local selling site that by the looks of it had only been used once and I don't even think that was outside.
So I'm on the lookout for some boys ones now. I want the adjustable boot ones, they last longer!
Tomorrow we are taking the plunge and joining up with a home ed group and going to try out Parkour, well, the kids are anyway. We've tried a couple of home ed groups in the past and the kids just ended up feeling a bit awkward and uncomfortable. They find it hard just going up to people and making conversation (as most people would) so I think joining in with an activity might be easier for them to break the ice with other kids.
So we've been quite entertained and it's nice getting back to doing things as a family and trying new things. But Lillypigs is quite content having snuggly blanket cuddles on the sofa.
