It's all good, right?

Well, we've all been fairly busy. But it's not easy to see the good stuff, I think this home-ed mummy still needs a bit of de-schooling. The kids have mostly grasped that idea and tell me with great venom when things are too like school. We are balancing a very fine line between total autonomy and structure. Sometimes it feels like falling down the rabbit hole into total chaos.

So we've made sushi, David has a bit of a Japanese obsession. Oliver has practiced his cello. Will did maths of his own accord. These are brilliant things. They should be praised and sung about!

Did I mention, Oliver practiced his cello! Fabulous.

But still I get bogged down trying to schedule the day, trying to make Mia read and cajoling Oliver into trying a work book. Because they should, we have a responsibility to educate them

fully, to their ability. Or should I? At the moment I have three little monsters running around the house. They have names and personalities, they are part of "the game" they're playing this morning. Should I call this drama? Team games? P.E or literacy? Does it count if siblings socialise? Because they are doing all these things, they have been co-operating for hours now. Surely it's fine, I know that they read when they want, if they ask me a question we find out the answer together. They know how to use the dictionary, library, encyclopedia and internet.

They are bright and funny, I just need to remember that when the big ugly "must do" pops into my head. Perhaps when it does we should put on our boots and go for a walk, leaving the mess and the worry behind us, and just enjoy the journey.

And they all came tumbling down

How the days vary!

At least compared to how I plan them.

And when I say plan I mean that very loosely. Yet still they take the shape of the four children who are really running the show! And all I can do is run along after hoping to keep ahead occasionally.

With the printer whirring and pencils scattering, all plans and requests have changed again. A book rediscovered prompts building of epic proportions, even if only out of books! This is apparently engineering at it's most simple, all the greats started this way. And it is true, they really are engineers, checking to find the center of gravity and taking (some) measurements as they go. How high, how long, is it going to fall......

From the laughter and scurrying you might never have guessed it was educational.

And here lies the worry of this home educating mummy.

How to report, record, relay this information.

Who will check up on us? How will they check? When will they come knocking?

Because I know that you can hold a conversation with our tremendous twelve year old and find out the most interesting things about life, the universe and his current favourite band. That our funny little five year old can actually spell all sorts of different words whilst walking a dog and spotting footprints. That our tenacious ten year old would readily tell you about all the books he's read and all the animals he knows about. Or that our somersaulting seven year old will happily trampoline his way through times tables before chatting to you about his favourite films. But I'm not sure how that counts.

I'm sure it should though and so I'll keep writing up about and dating on the bits and pieces they "do". But I will enjoy and cherish the really important stuff. Like a brother and sister playing a quiet bard game. The cheer coming from the lounge as someone does a fab headstand against the fancy wallpaper. And try not to worry the really important stuff, like learning to read, because as I'm finding out the really good stuff comes when you don't plan too hard.