The tadpole we brought back from a pond yesterday is still alive and is being fed on pond food. It has been named Squirmy. For good measure we have a small crustacean type thing that came with a clump of algae. It is also just coming back to me that tadpoles produce a fairly constant small tube of, errrm, poo, and that their makeshift ponds soon look a bit messy.
The tadpole looks as though it is on the verge of growing legs, but isn’t doing yet.
We just finished Stig of the Dump by Clive King as a read-aloud. It was greatly enjoyed by Antonia and would be a fine choice for all the ‘last child in the woods’ types. If you appreciate the contrast between attending a fancy dress party in a caveman and leopard costume made from things found in a dump versus a shepherdess costume ordered specially from London, you’ll see what I mean. It’s quite a mechanically minded sort of book too, in that it goes into lots of detail about how Barney, the hero, actually goes about, for e.g., lowering things into chalk pits, building a chimney with tin cans and windows from jam jars etc.
Stig was one of the books that was supposed to be a classic when I was young, though somehow I missed it first time round. The most unexpected thing was the time-travel or magical element that allows Stig, the prehistoric boy to meet Barney and Lou. It was definitely there but quite understated compared to my expectations. It just kind of happens without much fuss, but most of the story is extremely concrete and everyday. Well actually, apart from the bit with the burglars, which was a bit Enid Blyton, but fun anyway.
We bought (Antonia chose, I paid for) an Astrosaurs book in the airport bookshop on our way home. I am not at all sure this counts as homeschooling, though I do think its good for children’s reading skills to read large quantities of enjoyable trash just for fun. That being said, I wish two things.
1. That the library would stock trash books instead of just literary masterpieces, because I don’t mind us buying the good stuff, whereas I would rather the trash didn’t accumulate in the house.
2a) That if I must buy trash, the publishers would ensure that it’s at least well enough put together that it doesn’t fall apart before the dear child has finished reading;
2b) That if it must fall apart the publishers would make an effort to ensure that a page number appears on every single page and not just a selected few, for the convenience of parents who have to put the d**n pages back in order again.
Thank you.
We got back from England having had a lovely relaxing time – well mostly. Especially with the nature. My parents have a pair of thrushes nesting right outside their patio window, and we spent a lot of time watching them scurry in and out with full beaks. They clearly regarded us with suspicion, and if we happened to be outside, would often wait until we went in to head for their nest. So we would go in on purpose.
They did not really choose the best place for their nest. The morning after the family party my parents were really worried about them, because we couldn’t really keep everyone inside. They were convinced the chicks had died. But no. By the time we were getting ready to leave we all agreed that the poor parent thrushes were looking very thin and gaunt. Hopefully we will get some photos of the fledglings soon.
My parents enjoyed Antonia’s enjoyment of nature. We went walking in the park and looked at trees, bugs, birds and hordes of tiny froglets hopping all over. This was the most exciting to me, but Antonia was most delighted to hold a damsel fly on a stem or have a huge sleepy moth crawling all over her.
My parents are pretty pro-home education (the UK term for homeschooling) at this point, having seen the result. My father is even apt to refer to his home educated granddaughter in a loud voice in public places. This is partly because they see that she can read, write, calculate and recite poems with the best of them + at the same time she has lots of time to enjoy nature, soak up Shakespeare slowly, draw and play with her teddies.
There is also the fact that when you read the British Education Minister’s not so positive remarks on the subject of home education right there in the education column of the newspaper next to what it says about the state of British schools, he inevitably comes across sounding like an idiot.
It was quite hard work since this is the first time Antonia has gone without afternoon naps. Today, back at my parents house I put her into bed in the afternoon, and after telling me she couldn’t sleep 10 000 times, she did!
We have been at the seaside for one long round of exhausting fun. Pool twice a day, long walks along the beach and far too much food of all kinds. This is the first year that Antonia has been old enough not to nap for much of the afternoon, and consequently we are all quite tired.
She has completely mastered the art of doing division from her multiplication tables, though.