First Post

Welcome to our blog, which we hope will be a help to anyone considering home schooling their children. We are fairly diverse people, but what we have in common is our reformed faith; and home education.

I hope readers will be encouraged by an insight into our lives and how home education works for us. People often ask me how I do it, or what do I do, as though there is some formula that we could all follow, which would guarantee "success". If only! What works for me, works for me; that doesn't mean it would work for anyone else. All families are different, which is why we have tried to get a few different authors on here, giving different perspectives.

And on to real life. . . .

This week is "half term" in England - a week when schools are on holiday. We don't legally have to (the legality of home education is a whole other post) follow school terms or holidays, but sometimes we do. So this week, we've been off lessons. Sort of. Some of the children are studying for exams, and for them, there has been no break.

The younger children, however (aged 13 and down) have had a week off.

(Last year I bought an academic yr diary, and I make brief notes in it about what we've done each day - it's been a great help in planning and reviewing, I wish I'd thought of it earlier; as it means I don't have to rely on my memory or my blog to remember what we did when.)

This week the younger two (6 and 7) have done reading every day, they are using the Peter and Jane reading scheme, and have done various art projects (mostly colouring different Roman soldiers - we are studying the Romans this term and I got a great book yrs ago which shows all the different types of soldier etc. I love this booked, picked it up second hand years ago, and I think I've photocopied the pictures for all my children to use at one time or another.)

We also (huge job which I love and the children hate!) moved the furniture in the study round. I like to change things now and again, and it was a chance to clean behind things that hadn't been cleaned behind in some time :-) When it's a little tidier, I'll take a photo. Or no, in the interests of transparency, this is what part of the room looks like right now. I know, I should quit blogging and tidy up :-)

That is Constance sticking her head in - on the back of the door is our essential calendar where I keep track of everyone's appointments. To the right on the wall are some Romans, our USA map, a UK map, and photos of friends. The green chair is where Henry will be sitting; Yes, that is two TV screens on the unit, no we don't watch TV, but I often record programmes on to DVDs, and sometimes the children will be watching one thing while I record another. The red trays are full of "school" supplies, pencils, stationery, and lots of other "stuff". When I'm organised I know what is in each tray,  but right now, I'm not so sure.

My laptop is in the foreground, as well as a lot of "stuff" that needs to be put away. My pink academic yr diary is just visible, under a pair of unused pyjamas that are too small for Max now. 

Now I must go and tidy up!

On the "socialisation" front  (and again that is a whole other post or ten), actually on reflection it is another post, so I'll stop there.

Next week, God willing, we'll be back into routine.