Saturday, June 25, 2011

NO READING AT THE TABLE!



NO READING AT THE TABLE is a very fine and sensible rule.

Trouble is, when nobody else is sitting with you it can be boring getting breakfast into you, and so if your book isn't borrrowed (from The Library, or from a friend), then maybe it's ok ... maybe?

We have lunch together as a family normally (except Daddy - he's at work), and tea is ALWAYS together - around the table - which apparently is quite unusual in today's culture.

But breakfast is often taken in shifts while other family members are using the bathroom, or doing chores.

And when children are brought up with a vast but carefully chosen selection of books, it's kind of comforting and a bit of luxury for our 15 year old to sit for 10 minutes, reading quietly while he chews on his muesli.



Blessings
The Mummalady

Thursday, June 23, 2011

DOING ART AGAIN!


I'm not afraid to get messy, and that's a blessing for a Home Educating Mumma.

Sometimes, of course, living in a small space with 6 children we get FAR TOO MESSY - and that's a sign to de-clutter, tidy up, organise - all hands on deck type thing (we get seriously messy and cluttered sometimes - believe me!).

But on the particular day shown above we had the table clear (!) so we thought we'd do some art! We got out the nice soft pastels - drew a design - and then painted over with lovely swishy, puddly watercolours.

We are aware that the fun is in the DOING not the end result, but we still end up with heaps of pictures to put up on the pantry and laundry doors!

For the LONGEST time I have been meaning to get Mona Brookes book "Drawing With Children". Well - I've finally bought it and have finished thoroughly reading the introduction and the beginning lessons and have taken the children through the first lesson.





It was great fun, and we are very, very excited about doing further lessons. So right now I should not be on the computer, I should be sitting with the children in the lounge, fire lit, rain falling on the roof doing some more ART!!

Blessings
The Mummalady