Not To School

Springy went to school today.  She tried it, she stayed for the whole day, left the building and isn't wanting to go back.  All I can say is hooray.  I had a great day - cleaned out some cupboards, did a Flylady hotspot thing, did some studying and got some work done.  I've not had a day off for ages so it was nice.  I got a holiday.  I took time, had space in my head, sat down with a cup of tea in the quiet, took my supplements, made a few calls, ate lunch, took Lily for a walk and so on - in fact most of the things I do on a regular day but normally there is a 9-year old bouncing about (with the occasional sullen face on for the oh so melancholic 9-year change).

I think a lot of people think I'm mad for home educating.  I homebirthed.  I was mad for doing that.  There were dangers apparently and I was putting the baby at risk.  My ante-natal classes were booked in by the hospital after my due date!  That was the first oddity that made me wonder whether the hospital knew what they were doing and I remember the phonecall to ask whether some mistake hadn't been made.  Surely several weeks after my due date means that I won't be needing the classes.  Oh, so that's just how it is.  Thank goodness our independent birth counsellor, who kindly did a pay it forward scheme when we were too broke to pay for the classes at the time.  We had some amazing classes with her learning about gravity, about active birthing etc.  That's what we wanted and we didn't trust the hospital to do anything that we wanted so we had 2 amazing midwives who came to our home, who along with the aforementioned IBC were the three wise women who attended Springy's birth along with her daddy and I (well our IBC left for dinner but she sat with me all the while until my contractions got to the stage where she said "Go and call your midwives.").

 Nappies - questioned = diaper free or infant elimination communication.  Formula - questioned = breastfeeding.  There are other things that I do that I hate doing or have been manipulated into because I know they're all trickery - smoke and mirrors but I just do/did them regardless even though I ought to know better and change.

Anyway, we get to home education.  Many people assume that home education means your child stays at home all day and doesn't have a clue as to how to mix with other children or people.  It's a common misconception.  Springy walked into that school on Monday and knew loads of children in so many different classes, across the ages.  When she was 4 it would have destroyed her, when she was 5 she wouldn't have been ready but at 9 years she went in with sniffles from a cold  but confidence.  She went for a full day today, from 8.50 am to 3.15 pm.  It was all right but she doesn't want to go back.   It wasn't that the school was bad or that the children were mean etc - it was all okay - they were very pleasant to her (mainly because she knows through various activities children in about 5/6 schools in the area) - but she had expectations of school (because of all the PR that she has been given by the anti-home-education brigade -  that school is great and much better than home education) that 'school' couldn't live up to. I reckon if the teacher had come in with homemade cookies, playing rock guitar, with a soft voice like Miss Honey in Mathilda and they had all gone off site to a lambing event and breaktime had been the whole afternoon of free play then they would have roped her in and I'd have willingly gone along with it. But that didn't happen...

 She's  been told not to complain to me anymore that I'm boring (because of all the build up she has had that school is exciting and wonderful and full of amazing feats of edutainment) because the work they gave her today in maths was the 1x and 5x tables (which may have been not to frighten her but they could have actually talked to her and found out that way that she is capable of going beyond that now). Not only that but it wasn't teaching but just involved sticking her in front of a computer and not her choice (I'm not against boredom because it leads to creativity but this was boredom without a chance for that). Her favourite bit was break time.  Even the toilets were not as nice as home (which I found very surprising - I keep my toilets clean but I have to remain ever watchful!).

And so I live in hope that I will not hear about Springy needing to go to school again.  She is 9 years old.  She tried it.  I've now been told a day isn't long enough.  It was long enough - they had a day to make a good impression and they failed.  It didn't wow her, it didn't move her or inspire her.  It didn't change her life or her perspective.  There wasn't a moment that made her feel the Universe.  I know there are good schools out there with brilliant teachers but home education for us works just as school works for others.  We've had moments of wonder and surprise.  It's our life and we love it and if I ever get down again, lose my confidence and let things get to me can you please all kick me in the rear end. :)
xxx