Excuse me for just one minute...

Thanks for drawing my attention to this story Debs:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8129466.stm

I just want to highlight these paragraphs:

'The guidance comes as an official report raises questions about how some schools and councils have failed to act on suspicions or evidence of abuse.
The report calls on schools to play a greater preventative role, saying some are clearly reluctant to get involved.'

But... Haven't we been told that home schooled children are at greater risk of abuse because the all powerful school safety net can't catch the signs of abuse?!

A contradiction I think sir!!!!

(swearing in this one, just to let you know)

July is busting out all over...

It's July! (sorry to be a cliche, but WHERE did the year go exactly?!)

We're wallowing in Wimbledon, Saurus's been playing in cricket matches!!! and oh this is going to be such a cool month - we have the second scan in a week or two and hope to find out if it's indoor or outdoor plumping this time, my birthday, and I have FINALLY sorted out regular tennis lessons! Yes really! Give me another six months and I might even sort out music provision!

Oh, and I have to do a big TWO MONTH round up (because we just steamrollered on through June with the Solar System), eek. Coming soon, honest...

It's just rather hot at the mo and my body seems to have fallen apart which has necessitated lots of visits to doctors and dentists and kienesologists, oh my.

Woman with a plan

Grit posted this: http://gritsday.blogspot.com/2009/06/warning-unplanned-life-ahead.html
about the recommendation in the Badman review regarding planning -

'At the time of registration parents/carers/guardians must provide a clear statement of their educational approach, intent and desired/planned outcomes for the child over the following twelve months.'

The funny thing was I've been meaning to write a post on this for ages... I started writing a reply so long thought I might as well write that post!

Several people have posted on this subject recently with negative reactions, often saying they don't and can't plan... But I see plenty of evidence of planning. Scheduled courses, that's planning! Watching a programme regularly - that's planning! Booking lessons in something - that's planning! Just because the impetus/request has come from the child (learner led - fabulous) doesn't mean it isn't a plan! I find my kids often come up with very detailed and intricate plans for stuff - it's their formulation, their topic - and yes, you guessed it, still a plan!

Planning doesn't mean not having the space for spontaneous stuff; beach if it's warm, aquarium if we can get money off tokens - is written into our planning...

Sorry. I'm trying to argue, honestly, its just... There seems to be such a negative connotation of the word 'plan' at the mo and really, it's just a description of what humans do.. Looking ahead... Considering options... We'd never have caught mammoths if we did have a didn't have an intrinsic instinct to plan, and co-operate...

I suppose I should admit that we plan. If I think about it, I like planning. It's very difficult to change your plan to suit the situation unless you have one in the first place. I like having shopping lists, a chores reminder list, planning Christmas presents, all that... We have regular family meetings where, essentially, we plan. It could be about where we want to go the next day, what behaviours everyone (and I do mean everyone - kids get to comment on Mum and Dad's behaviour!) needs to work on during the next week, or our next camping trip - everyone, adults as well as children, get valued, listened to input.

That sounds like I'm super organised, but I'm not - actually I'm dappy and scatty and absent minded, which is why shoving it down on paper appeals - then I don't have to worry about trying to remember what we did/what we discussed/what we decided to do!

Plans are what you make them. You don't want something like schools have - fine, don't have one! Have your plan as 'consulting with the children as to what topics and courses they wish to pursue and enriching with suggestions of books and other media accordingly'

If you don't want your aims and goals to be 'will be reading by 7th December at 12.45' then don't! have 'em as 'protect his current confidence in handling books, and be on hand to assist as required' (i.e., no pushing, just answer when asked 'hey mum, what does this word say' like we've done with Wig)

Job done!

Honestly, everyone plans. HEers who have decided to follow autonomy totally - that in itself is a plan. Even people who refuse to make decisions, like the Diceman - that in itself is a plan of action.

The definition of the word plan - along with imaginary planes and specific design instructions - is 'Formulated or organized method by which thing is to be done... way of proceeding' (The concise Oxford Dictionary)

Nowhere does it say that it's set in stone - no plan can be, there are so many variables that plans always have to adapt to changes in circumstance and this is specifically written in to good plans. Nowhere does it say that it has to be a certain way, nowhere does it say it has to be like another plan, like someone else's plans...

Now we come to the second bit of the recommendation I want to bring to your attention -

'Guidance should be issued to support parents in this task with an opportunity to meet local authority officers to discuss the planned approach to home education'

If anything gives you concern, it should be this bit - this is the bit that raises questions over whether there is a hidden agenda or set of criteria. Or not hidden exactly, more not spelt out yet. So I'll definitely wait and see on that bit... Although as ever I think it will come down to the individuals, the ones administering this...

Same as Health Visitors, Midwives, GPs - some you will click with and be like old friends, lots you will be able to have a workable professional relationship with without too much effort, a few you will just clash with. Which is when you have the complete legal right to request an alternative.

Don't panic boys! I've got a plan!



(In case anyone's baffled over my choice of vid, I was actually after just a straight clip of the Self Preservation Society from the Italian Job when I fell across this AWESOME video - being a die hard Dr Who fan I naturally couldn't resist - enjoy!)

The amazing expanding woman

Just an update on the pregnancy - feeling ok at the mo actually!

NOT sick (oh what a joy) tired, but in comparison, bursts of energy (the kitchen floor is clean! Really! Well, cleaner. Which isn't difficult) feeling kicks quite strongly now...

Bump is largish, but not so much I can't get into the car, in and out of the bath easily and all that...

Wig is being very cute and giving my bump lots of kisses, like he did with both Fluff and Petal :)

Oh, and I've located a DVD of that AWESOME programme on Ch 4 a few years back, of the baby's development in the womb using fab technology and all that - can't wait for it to arrive and watch it with the kids!

Bullying character...

Debs, I think it was, tweeted a link to some article which had someone declaring that-



'bullying builds character'



UGH!



First of all -yes, it can do. All that happens, pleasant or not, traumatic events and all can inform and shape us. However, what do you mean by 'builds' exactly?



Being bullied could potentially make someone 'stronger'. It could also just as easily tear character down, to keep the construction analogy.



As statistics show, the most likely thing bullying does is make bullies. Just as sexual abusers very often were sexually abused themselves as a child, and perpetrators of domestic violence very often experienced it themselves as a child, being bullied raises your chances of exhibiting bullying behaviour yourself.



So what this 'person' - no, I'm not going to bother dignifying them by finding out who it was -is actually saying is that bullying is important because it builds more bullies and heaven knows a healthy society needs lots of bullies.



Um, yeah.

Especially for you, Grit..

First of all, apologies in advance for a post peppering - have had loads of post ideas and a temperamental laptop :::rolls eyes:::: and tho i can read blogs with my phone, commenting is somewhat laborious (so I haven't been, much) and I refuse to type out a whole post on phone keys - eek!

ok, back to the scheduled programme!

I've been meaning to blog this for ages, and I'm really glad I didn't get round to it because now I can post it in reply to Grit's post about dodgy reactions from the public...

We went swimming the other day. The boys sat with Petal on a bench in the waiting room while, 10 yards away, I stood at the desk and payed. There was a queue, and the nice lady behind me (late 50's early 60's I'd say) made some comment about the kids being there, so I explained that we homeschooled. (Yes I do use that term, it works for us, apologies to those who hate it.)

Her face lit up, and she told me that she knew several families that homeschooled, and how she'd noticed that the children tended to be much more polite in an easy way, and just better at communication and social skills generally.

I told her that we were out and about a lot, so learning social skills, that is, learning to be at ease with communicating appropriately according to a range of different situations and people, came quite naturally and maybe quicker than schooled children.

She nodded, and said - "Yes, it's (home education) much better for social skills, isn't it."

I could have given her a big wet sloppy kiss, but we were both British so I didn't.

Fluff the fourteenth

Fluff's at that adorable phase of changing his clothes four or five times a day...

Sometimes it is because they get the odd splash on them because he's dropped them on the floor too close to the toilet, or because he washes his hands too vigorously, but mostly it's just because he fancies it - and suddenly is able to dress himself, like, overnight!

The nicest thing about it, really? That I find it adorable, rather than silently fuming about more washing. Really, it doesn't make much difference, especially as it's warm now, so everyone's living in t-shirts and shorts which take up much less room in the washing machine.

Maybe I'm finally really getting the whole 'just relax' thing?!