Ill - yes we've been ill which is why my idea to blog has fallen by the wayside until now. We were supposed to have had a home ed meet up with another family yesterday but just before 2 pm my daughter vomited as we were about to set off.
We have had a weird bug that is going around; it's a cold with either a) diarrhoea (I love spelling that word) or b) vomiting or both. I had the former at the beginning of the week (herbal info for diarrhoea: bistort root with cinnamon bark - place 1 dstspn bistort and 1 cinnamon stick in pan with 1 cup cold water, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes - caution in pregnancy etc) and now my little girl is in bed with a temperature (currently asleep which is why I am writing but I keep checking her) having both.
I stayed up all last night with her to check she was all right and to help her hold the bucket, sit on the toilet and then carry her back to bed. At about 6 am she stopped vomiting after drinking and has now been keeping fluids down - cold camomile tea and water, alternating, with little sips of each. Husband is wonderful because he took the night off, got his sleep and then took over late morning when I was too tired (managed to get a much needed nap).
I'm hoping that the fever will break and then she should be fine. It's always a worry when you love someone that much and I hate to see her look so sad and weak.
I read her three stories today. She wanted to remain quiet and was asleep for most of the day but I asked if she wanted some stories and I read her three from the Oak Meadow Kindergarten collection. She really enjoyed the one about Princess Eliza and the one about The Golden Spider (who weaves blankets for baby fairies); the third story was The White Snake but it wasn't a good story for reading to a sick patient, at least not my sick little girl.
Friday, 30 March 2007
Sunday, 18 March 2007
Home Education and home made
Home education was first enshrined in English legislation back in 1944 under the Education Act (by Winston Churchill's Government).
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 means that home education is legal in this country. Sadly, the recent Labour Government has been seeking to undermine this by changing legislation surrounding it and also they are now directly involved with making all types of education come under Government statutes. This is something I disagree with - I think the diversity in education is very important because much of the Government does not have child development knowledge, nor do they have experts who are omniscent (plus some of the research the advisors used has been misinterpreted).
To me it is very important to have independence from state interference in terms of education - child welfare is a separate matter and it is important that there are laws to protect children from physical, sexual and emotional violence and abuse. However, getting back to education, I feel strongly that parents' views on education need respecting.
I find myself as a mother under more and more disrespect from professionals. When I chose homebirth I found some professionals openly hostile to my choice. Thankfully I was very fortunate in that I had midwives who were actively respectful to it. I want my own child to have birth choice. At the moment, independent midwives are under attack due to badly thoughtout Government legislation which will make them unable to practice due to costs (insurance-related which will cost more than an independent midwife could earn per annum). Although my own midwives were NHS, it is a lottery as to whether a midwife is a) pro choice in birth and b) has adequate knowledge to help with a holistic birth.
I found the following resources useful:
a) Ina May Gaskin's books
b) the www.homebirth.org.uk site
c) other empowered women who had birthed without their choices being removed (not easy due to the bullying of many professionals)
d) other empowered women who had their choices removed but who have energised other women with information because of being let down
e) Gill Thorn's books
I utilised Kiegel exercises, birth visualisations, breathing exercises and a very supportive husband.
My love goes out to all mothers who have wanted the best for their baby - for those of you have had your choices taken away, my thoughts go out for your daughters so that they can be empowered.
Thank you to all midwives who trust that birth should be beautiful and help support women and their babies in that loving energy.
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 means that home education is legal in this country. Sadly, the recent Labour Government has been seeking to undermine this by changing legislation surrounding it and also they are now directly involved with making all types of education come under Government statutes. This is something I disagree with - I think the diversity in education is very important because much of the Government does not have child development knowledge, nor do they have experts who are omniscent (plus some of the research the advisors used has been misinterpreted).
To me it is very important to have independence from state interference in terms of education - child welfare is a separate matter and it is important that there are laws to protect children from physical, sexual and emotional violence and abuse. However, getting back to education, I feel strongly that parents' views on education need respecting.
I find myself as a mother under more and more disrespect from professionals. When I chose homebirth I found some professionals openly hostile to my choice. Thankfully I was very fortunate in that I had midwives who were actively respectful to it. I want my own child to have birth choice. At the moment, independent midwives are under attack due to badly thoughtout Government legislation which will make them unable to practice due to costs (insurance-related which will cost more than an independent midwife could earn per annum). Although my own midwives were NHS, it is a lottery as to whether a midwife is a) pro choice in birth and b) has adequate knowledge to help with a holistic birth.
I found the following resources useful:
a) Ina May Gaskin's books
b) the www.homebirth.org.uk site
c) other empowered women who had birthed without their choices being removed (not easy due to the bullying of many professionals)
d) other empowered women who had their choices removed but who have energised other women with information because of being let down
e) Gill Thorn's books
I utilised Kiegel exercises, birth visualisations, breathing exercises and a very supportive husband.
My love goes out to all mothers who have wanted the best for their baby - for those of you have had your choices taken away, my thoughts go out for your daughters so that they can be empowered.
Thank you to all midwives who trust that birth should be beautiful and help support women and their babies in that loving energy.
Welcome :)
This is my public home ed blog.
I home educate one child who is in Kindergarten stage - under 7.
I believe that children of under the age of 7 don't need formal academics thrust on them and certainly not my child.
I believe that parents should retain the responsibility of their child's education - welfare and education are two separate issues.
I believe that here in England we start our formal academic school education far too early. I believe that more should be done to encourage and help those parents who wish to spend time with their children to do so. I believe strongly that since we now live in the 21st century, more and more people could be assisted in working from home and for hours that are adapted to family life.
SureStart programmes were started to help people if they wanted and needed it. The research that shows their success was not supposed to be applied across the board - sadly many parents believe that if they don't send their to child to nursery and get them reading from age 3 onwards and "socialising" (in a loud, noisy, survival situation) that somehow their child will be a "Failure". Many parents "reframe" (making the best out of a bad situation by lying to yourself) that they could not bear to spend all day with their child at home - why not have a goldfish instead then? (if you feel the need to pass your child into the care of strangers for a greater percentage of their waking hours than you can be bothered to input for, then my belief is you should not bother to have children - have them adopted instead by someone who will love and care for them directly).
As parents we need to empower ourselves with a range of information as well as trust our instincts.
My child is home-made (we conceived her at home, birthed her at home and we home educate - although this does not mean we spend all our time at home, far from it...). I believe that as my child's parent I should have ultimate responsibility and be treated as such by Government and professionals.
I home educate one child who is in Kindergarten stage - under 7.
I believe that children of under the age of 7 don't need formal academics thrust on them and certainly not my child.
I believe that parents should retain the responsibility of their child's education - welfare and education are two separate issues.
I believe that here in England we start our formal academic school education far too early. I believe that more should be done to encourage and help those parents who wish to spend time with their children to do so. I believe strongly that since we now live in the 21st century, more and more people could be assisted in working from home and for hours that are adapted to family life.
SureStart programmes were started to help people if they wanted and needed it. The research that shows their success was not supposed to be applied across the board - sadly many parents believe that if they don't send their to child to nursery and get them reading from age 3 onwards and "socialising" (in a loud, noisy, survival situation) that somehow their child will be a "Failure". Many parents "reframe" (making the best out of a bad situation by lying to yourself) that they could not bear to spend all day with their child at home - why not have a goldfish instead then? (if you feel the need to pass your child into the care of strangers for a greater percentage of their waking hours than you can be bothered to input for, then my belief is you should not bother to have children - have them adopted instead by someone who will love and care for them directly).
As parents we need to empower ourselves with a range of information as well as trust our instincts.
My child is home-made (we conceived her at home, birthed her at home and we home educate - although this does not mean we spend all our time at home, far from it...). I believe that as my child's parent I should have ultimate responsibility and be treated as such by Government and professionals.
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