Today we planned how we want things to work for the next month ahead. We find that we have to do this every so often or the boys start to get bored. No matter what the journals say about 'routine' and Aspergers, it often doesn't seem to work here...novelty being the preferred route for Sam and Owen. I have to admit it's one of the hardest aspects of Home Ed for me ..a nice little routine and timetable would be so much easier to plan round...but I know to our cost, that this route leads to unhappy boys.
The children then wanted to watch 24 hours in the Past , this episode the characters are living in a Victorian workhouse. These programmes always spark lots of conversations and interest.
After this Owen wanted to watch a programme about the Bradford Football Club fire, it's now 30 years ago. He knew I used to live there and that I knew people who had been in the stand that day. We watched some of it, I found it quite hard and Sam managed about 3/4 before he felt he didn't need to see anymore. We discussed how things have changed and how Health and Safety was tightened up after the tragic events..wooden stands were closed or taken down.
Monday
Sam started reading the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey on his new, much loved Kindle He is really enjoying it..'it's quite a lot like the film..you know the Hobbit one'. We had an amusing conversation about the film being based on the book, but he decided I was pulling his leg.
We watched some of the BBC natural history programmes about Sharks and the children enjoyed telling me various 'Shark Facts'. Sam has always been particularly interested in marine animals....it all started with the BBC's excellent cartoon programme Octonauts. Both of them often surprise me with their knowledge.
We played some incredibly long games of scrabble and I was amazed at how much better they can cope with the game since we last played it.
Sam wanted to practice his writing :
There was much playing with friends online, building, typing and chatting.
Owen also wanted to watch quite a few Horrible histories programmes so we did that together and chatted about the various facts.
Tuesday
A very tight game of scrabble..I can only play this with a ratio of one child or it becomes a 'contact sport'.
I just beat Sam ( accidentally ) on the last turn...he wasn't happy and asked me to put a picture up of his distained face. So here he is....we were both trying not to laugh.
We looked at the new Lego Worlds Game available on steam and Sam worked out whether he had enough money to buy it. He had more than enough on his GoHenry card so was quite happy to spend his saved pocket money. The game is on early access, to enable people to evaluate and feedback their thoughts on the development process.
This was Sam's very first online purchase with his Go Henry card...his little face was a picture...he put all the card details in. I explained what each part of the process was, which bits were which on the card and we clicked buy. Both boys also made purchases in a shop recently, using a chip and pin machine. I felt stupidly proud of them both and it's all good life skills for them to learn.
Owen has done some building in Minecraft realms with his friends, listened to a music, got his upgraded PC working and looking how he wanted it, read vast amounts of books and learnt 'shed loads' of historical facts. He also laughed at me a great deal...'you are daft mum'.
Due to my recent unexpected hospital visit, they felt should learn about calling the emergency services..though thankfully we haven't had to use that ;-) they found it absolutely hysterical.
'So we only do it if we can't wake you up?'
'Yes that's right'
'Can we poke you with a stick?'
'I suppose....'
'Can we scribble on your face with felt tipped pens?'
'....in theory..yeeeeesssss...however, I don't think it would look very dignified if the emergency services arrived and I had 'Mrs Turd Blossom' written across my forehead'
They both shoot each other knowing looks and snurtle..
..and it's at that point, you realise you are doomed to have 'I am a winky' indelibly etched on you face. I think that I may never sleep again and console myself that it's good writing practice.
Wednesday
We played Monopoly in the morning and all the money I gave out of the bank was checked scrupulously by the children.
A trip out to Trentham gardens with friends..it was hard getting Owen out the door but he had a great time once we were out. They were very excited to find a new slide had been built and we enjoyed a picnic in the sunshine.
Thursday.
Is it Thursday ? Yeah..Thursday. It's still early morning and I feel I have done a days work already. The children we FULL ON...it was good but also completely exhausting. Games and questions galore over breakfast...conversations went thus: 'I can't actually make the breakfast you are demanding, play monopoly, answer Minecraft related questions and write out the alphabet all at once' ...DUDES PLEASE!
There was an incident where Owens farm got destroyed on Minecraft today, he impressed me by handling it very calmly and took positive steps to recognise his mistakes and find ways to deal with his disappointment both practically and emotionally...I was incredibly proud of him.
Anyhoo all these things were done..but I had to keep breaking down the simultaneous order of the requests. So they are now off doing stuff together and I am sitting here feeling like I have been tasered by the Home Ed fairy.
Friday
There was quite a bit of 'Sam can I please finish my breakfast first love? ' my head is killing me this morning and I feel mean but I know I am too tired for a repeat performance of yesterday's 4 hour marathon. So I managed to get some housework done, whilst they were engaged on their Pc's.
Later we went out on the bikes and met friends at the park. We enjoyed chatting and playing most of the afternoon before cycling home.
Saturday was a quiet day at home, Blokey and I doing jobs and preparing the boys for a trip out on Sunday.
Sunday was a big day for me meeting other sufferers of Cluster headaches, some whom I had known for years. I had a very informative day at the conference finding out on up coming research and development. I was made incredibly welcome by my OUCH family.
Whilst I was there the menfolk had a wonderful time visiting the Maritime Museum, The Liverpool Tate and the museum of Slavery. There was a sailing festival on at the Albert Docks and they had great fun looking round, watching the performers and having a meal together.
We all drove home together in total agreement, that it had indeed been a 'most excellent' day and we defiantly need to go back.
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