Motat

We love Motat...we've bought an annual pass the last few years- they're fabulous value...not much more than the cost of a family visit, and you can go any time you like for the year. This gives you entrance to Motat, a ride on the tram, a ride on the spaceship (4D experieince), and they have a new theme every school holidays. It really is a very cool place.

J-Man has felt tired of it recently, but mostly because he prefers to stay home. Our pass runs out this week, and since we are moving in a matter of weeks, we will not renew it. We wanted to go one last time, which didn't really suit J-Man.

Still, the rest of us were keen, so he came too...and we all had a blast!

They were doing a spy theme, and the older children attempted to complete the mission. We realised we were going to be short of time, so I took Tombliboo and Princess on the tram to the other site for Princess to complete an obstacle course, leaving dh and J-Man to unravel some codes and puzzles.

Pricness was fabulous on the obstacle course- accomplished it very easily, and quickly. I was really proud of her, because I think she would have preferred to stay and do puzzles, but J-Man wasn't keen on anything physical.

I managed to guess a computer password at one activity, which was a lot of fun. I had almost run out of ideas, when I did it and was very excited...probably little chidlren were able to guess it quicker, but it was still a buzz for me :0)

Tombliboo (26 months) was dry all day, as is usual now, but I turned around toward the end of our visit, and foudn him struggling to pull his undies down. He dripped in them, as he peed on the train tracks!

"I pee train tracks", he announced with a massive grin, 'I wet these pants."

I don't think anyone noticed, but it was a tad embarrassing for me...when you gotta, you gotta go, I guess.

Gingerbread Men

Photos to follow (when the batteries are charged, lol).

Today the kiddos decorated gingerbread men. What a lot of fun they all had, and the eating was pretty good too.

I'm going to aim this year to do something "crafty" every day with them...I doubt I'll pull it off- but you have to have goals, right?

Well, really I'm not a goals person...it;s just that I think I got a bit complacent last year...everyone ticking along relatively nicely, and I think we need a bit more excitement in our lives.

I also think I need to invite J-Man in a bit more...and it needs to be something interesting for him...even better if all three children can participate. That's not overly easy with such a big age range (10, 6 and 2), but I'll get ideas from books and the internet.

My best friend does some really cool things with her (just turned 2 year old) which is a tiny bit embarrassing really, when I think of how many things I still haven't tried with a 10 year old...I'm not in to New Year's Resolutions...but if I had to make one, it would be to add more excitement to our lives.

So, if you have any ideas for things to do at home that don't cost a lot (we're also saving up for our move...oh, and we have never saved for anything before!), then feel free to add them in the comments section :0)

Choosing School, Part 2

I have been busy trying to think through the logistics of having a school-child in an unschooling family. The speed at which Tombliboo walks (or rather "makes stops") will practically make it so that by the time we get home from walkign J-Man to school, it will be time to start wakling back!

Well, not quite...but it isn't a very thrilling prospect. I can see me suggesting he takes his bike fairly quickly, though I doubt it would be safe.

So, I tried to phone the Ministry of Education to let them know I have a child who wants to try school...and I got struck by how silly it is that this isntitution has any say at all in what my son can and can't, should and shouldn't do.

I could only speak to three different people's asnwering machines, so decided to wait until tomorrow to try again. Meanwhile the dental nurse from the closest primary school phoned about appointments for the kids, and I was able to discover from her when school goes back, and that they open the Friday before for enrolments.

Meanwhile J-Man was happily plaing with his cousin M11. When his mum arrived to collect him, I asked if M had mentioned J-Man was going to try school. She said "no", and did J know what time school started? (lol)

I was really surprised that in all their time together J-Man hadn't told his cousin about this momentous step.

He said, "Yeah, about that.."

"I've been rignign aroudn and finding out when school starts, and what we need to do to enrol you adn so on," I said.

"Yeah...I don't think so Mum- I don;t really want to go now", he replied.

"But you said you did...I thought you wanted to, so Im organising it for you."

"Yeah, but I've been thinking about it...and I think I might lsoe my best friends if I started school."

"Why? You'd never lose J12, no way", I insisted.

"Well maybe not- we're going to be Friends for Life you know...but you know, Mum, that everyone changes when they go to school, adn not in a good way...I just don't want to take that chance."

"I can understand that," I said, "But most kids start school when they're 5. You'll be 10- don't you think who you are is a bit more stable?"

"I just don't want to go...I might in the future, but for now I'm happy as I am".
Can I do my happy dance now?

I was sure J-Man would go to school, and enjoy the experience, but realise quickly he would rather be his own bod. I didn't want to influence him in any way, feeling reasonably certain he would not go if he thoguth I didn't want him to...but what would be the use in that? I kind of still think he *should* go, just so he knows, and his curiosity cna be alleviated once and for all...but for now, I'm happy :0)

Choosing School, Part 1

J-Man dropped a bomb on me a few days before Christmas...he wants to try school.

I panicked inwardly, but hope I remained calm outwardly.

We discussed it a little, but I knew I would support this choice just as I have supported his desire to learn karate or guitar (both very short-lived).

There was little to do about it so close to school holidays, so it became something at the back of my mind.

His major reason for wanting to try school was a lack of friends, which I understood. He really only has 2 friends in Auckland that he enjoys...J12, a schooled-at-home respectfully-parented, very cool kid, and his cousin M11.

J-Man had erroneously supposed that since all the people he plays online games with go to school, if he goes to he will meet lots more ir friends to play online with. I remonstrated with him on that point, but could tell there was no way my saying it wasn't so would change it for him...he has to find out for himself, and I understand that too.

The difficulties really, for me, come with choosing which school...choices are limited around here, and with no car we are left really with the only option being a school within walking distance. I hate the idea of getting up early for a trek to school with the masses.

J-Man also, laughably, thought a private school would be better, since he wasn't sure about school in South Auckland. I explained that for trial purposes, I would not be purchasing a uniform, etc, and he seemed ok with that.

I was also concerned Princess might want to try school at the same time...and saw our happy unschooling lives going up in smoke. DH was helpful there, in reminding me that we want our children making their own decisions- she woudl be welcome to try school as well (though I think Iwould rather they did so seperately, for J-Man's sake).

I talked it over briefly with 2 more experienced unschooling mums, and they were not bothered at all- after all, unschooling is not the goal, it's the journey...autonomy means sometimes our children choose thigngs we wouldn't choose for them.

That helped me relax, but I still spent a lot of time wondering what I could have done better...what is missing in our lives that my son doesn't want to stay home?

I realised he has been crying out for alone time with each of his parents, which has not been acted on as swiftly as it might have been.

I thought we ought to rush out and buy a car, and maybe (just maybe) if we hadn't been car-less for 5 months, he might not be wanting to try school. It was his idea to go withoutthe car, and it seemed to be working well...but something has changed in the last couple of months- his desire to connect with friends in person has increased dramatically- well, it wasn't really there before.

But, upon thinking logically, I can see that I have offered many, many opportunites to see existing friends and make new ones- J-Man has not been keen to meet new friends, so blaming the car is nutty.

Next, is the realisation after more discussions with J-Man, that this is a *trial*...he doesn't mean it to be forever, he doesn't even mean it to be for a month...he just *has* to know what it is like, and I sooo understand that.

I also see that for J-Man, school is different to the kids next door, and his cousins, and most every other child around...he knows he can go and check it out, and he is welcome home any time. It changes things so much, that he is free to choose.

So, I will facilitate this desire, like I would any other, and we will where it leads.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best year ever :0)

We had a dejavu type New Year's Eve...the same people, same place, same basic way to spend the evening...with J, M and J (nearly 2), at their place with J's sister D, all playing Singstar and eating too much.

Princess managed to score quadruple D's score no the April Lavigne song, Long, Cold Night, which is her absolute Singstar favourite. She does it very well :0)

Tombliboo crashed around 11:50pm, but the rest of us saw the new year in with a glass of bubbly, and watched fireworks goign off all around.

Christmas 2008

We had Christmas in Kerikeri at Grandma and Poppy's, with 21 family sitting down to (the earliest ever) Christmas lunch at 1:30pm.

Prior to that, the kids had opened presents from Nanny, Nan and Grandad, each other and us. They also had a stocking each, which took forever to get through with Tombliboo exclaiming over every little thing (and then wanting to test it out).

It felt like Christmas had already come and gone, and then they got another big stash in the afternoon.

It was a lovely day, and the children and adults all had a wonderful time. The went in the spa when they weren't playing with new things, and even went kayaking on the dam!

Photos to follow...still on usb keys somewhere.

We're Baa-aack!

I'm really hoping to write a truckload in here about our last few weeks (2 of which were spent away from a computer), but things are too busy just at the moment.

Suffice it to say we are all well and happy, had a fabulous Christmas (as usual) and are enjoying having Ben (dh/Dad) home for the longest time ever.

Oh, darn it- now I've started it...I can't stop!

Or perhaps I will just add a mention here that I am growing vegetables! I planted them, and they should have grown and all- but still it seems surprising :0)

The look on Tomy's face the first time he pulled up (what he probably thought was a weed, and turned out to be) a carrot was simply priceless..no camera on-hand unfortunately, but I wonder if he will be just as incredulous the next time.

I've learned a fair bit too...like one courgette seed makes a tonne of courgettes, whereas one beetroot seed only makes one beetroot.

Last night we ate beetroot, courgettes and carrots from my garden- hooray! But it also gave me a hint as to how much we will need to be growing to actually feed our family...all the beetroot I grew will probably only do two nights. Still, there was a lot of wastage since Princess planted the seeds, and wasn't worried about how close together they were.

I've got some potatoes which seem to be doign everything right...the plant next to this one looked great so I pulled it up to find the world's teeniest potatoes. I think I'll pull the other one up for J-Man's birthday this month...he's turning 10...I can't believe it!

He's still trying to decide what he wants to do on the day, but picked his presents yesterday (3 PSP games)...I am to wrap them in a huge box filled with polystyrene balls (lol).