Unschooling Week

This postcard is stuck at eye level on my kitchen wall, bringing a brief hot tear to my eye every time I pass it (many many times each day).


While my big girl is running up and down the beach, learning to ride, and swimming every day on holiday with my mum...




The baby has started walking daily and is growing more and more confident.  She was toddling a few nervous steps from time to time, and now she runs across the room in a funny little waddle.  She has also begun deliberate mark-making with crayons and pens.

When we went to Attenborough, Morgie and Roo mostly wanted to look at seeds under the microscope.  Talia wanted to play with the crayons - and feed the ducks.  Up until this week she has always tried to eat the seed herself, and looked at me askance for throwing it away.

I have discovered that Roo can count to thirty - and do addition on her fingers. (We asked Morgan "what would six more be?" and Rowan responded, showing us how she worked it out!)

Morgan has chosen new books and read them herself with help on long words. She has also been playing with alphabet cards "writing" the names of everyone she knows. I can't believe how much phonics she understands without any teaching. She's only five. I was so sure she would be much later to read and write.  She has also finally got the hang of cycling on a bike with pedals.

We made story dice together yesterday.  Mostly the usual routines and groups have been abandoned in favour of avoiding half-term busy-ness (and in favour of getting more sleep, since the middle two darlings have been sleeping in a little this week).


There has been more time for crafts, somehow, and I cannot *believe* how I *ever* thought it difficult to take three children to town without a meltdown (mine or theirs).  I have enough hands, this week, and yet...  I really miss the wonderful company and ready smile of my eldest.