Crawling up the walls again

...this morning. Sometimes I just don't know what to do. I found out about some play centres, or 'soft play areas,' as they are called here, but I just couldn't face it alone, and chickened out. I have visions of miserable childminders shouting, or ignoring, at kids. I think I must have had some bad experiences in the past, or have generally got a bit agarophobic lately.

So I phoned my friend Josie, who couln't come to the phone as she was 'doing her lessons', which kind of made me feel worse about not 'doing' any education. I'm still finding my feet. Must order that book, Free Range Education, to get some inspiration. I'm trying not to beat myself up about them going on the computer, as I think its OK in small doses. The problem I have is keeping it in small doses.

By lunchtime I had had enough and decided to put the bikes in the car and go to the park, picking up some sandwiches on the way. (There is a park within walking distance, but you can't ride a bike on it, unless your'e into off-roading, and anyway, at 1000ft above sea level it takes a braver soul than I to venture there at this time of year.) This turned out to be a really good idea, as we all got the fresh air and exercise we needed and we also bumped into a few friends. So Jem had a few mates to play with, (Furgs was happy playing with a stick) and I managed to have some grown-up conversations. Someone who I don't know very well, but who obviously felt obliged to come over as they were the only other people in the park at the time, told me their litle boy, nearly 4, had started school and she wasn't really happy about it but it was the only option for her. When I mentioned home ed she said, most emphatically, that this wasn't an option for her as she wasn't that sort of person. I decided not to continue on the subject and just smiled and nodded. The other conversations were better, if a little bit interspersed with "no, don't eat that", "don't hurt the doggy", every few seconds: Ally is of a difficult age to take to a park, but I put up with him crawling around in mud, picking up ring-pulls, etc, as, on balance it was quite a good experience.

So I didn't mind it when they went on the computer while I was making the tea. It looks like most of it was on BBC schools, The Magic Key and Primary French. Its a shame they don't do German as well, as Jem has a German (Montessori)teacher and is learning the the language. Maybe this could be something for Grandma to buy. I think I would prefer a computer language program to a video, well, I definately would, if you can get them.

Anyway, time for a bit of bonding with dd no.1...