LEA Visit, family strife and writing

Well we had the visit and I don't think it could have gone much better in the end.

There was two of them and they were actually really nice. They did talk to the kids and a lot of the questions were directed at the kids but they both did really well and seemed to enjoy telling them about their education.

Josh was a complete chatterbox (sometimes giving away a bit too much information lol!) Ellie was a bit quiet and shy but did talk to them a little when Josh wasn't trying to do the talking for her. When the woman asked her if she thought she would ever like to go to school Ellie was very talkative then lol telling her no way and that she loves being homeschool!! I was very proud of her for that.

They were very impressed with both their maths. Josh challenged her to give him some times tables and he did the 3 she gave him with ease and she seemed very impressed with that as she said some of the children in Year 11 didn't know their times tables.

They thought Ellie was a very bright little girl and were very impressed with her maths and english.

They said that we were providing a broad and balanced curriculum and they said that the children are obviously happy and well looked after. They suggested we work a little more on Josh's spellings and his cursive handwriting which we are doing anyway and they are very pleased with Ellie and said she's doing very well.

So all in all a very good visit and I don't know what I was worrying about now. I'm looking forward to showing my mother the report as it might finally get her to agree that we are doing a good job educating the kids.

I am glad it is over though and can relax and breathe again now as I have spent the past week being so stressed about it.

We have had a huge row with my family and no one is speaking to us at the moment. It started as an arguement with my younger brother on Friday and has escalated into a huge row where everyone has sided with him and no one can see him for the arrogant so and so that he is!! Then again he has always been the baby of the family and the perfect son who can do no wrong but has been cheating on his girlfriend for at least the last 4 months.

The argument was originally about him giving us a lift to the dentist last friday. I never asked for a lift he offered and then he turned all moody and started going on at me about buying a car so he doesn't have to take me. I pointed out I never asked for a lift and he went on and on and started swearing with the kids in the back of the car. I told him to let me and the kids out but he wouldn't stop for us to get out and by the time we got to the dentist I was in tears and the kids were comforting me. Dh found out about and offered to go round and 'sort him out' (not sure how!) but managed to persuade him not to as dh is 5'6 and my brother is 6'4 and huge!!

My sister lives next door and has sent me lots of nasty emails this week accusing me of ruining her 40th birthday because I have said we won't be attending her birthday party in 2 weeks time. She's like a big kid. She has had her tv on full blast every evening this week but am not too bothered as although we can hear it it doesn't interfere with our lives like she's hoping it will.

Unfortunately I have never been particularly close to my family and this just feels like the final straw at the moment. They have been interfering for far too long anyway and I can't be doing with it anymore.

Dh's brother has just moved back into his caravan so might see if we can go and stay for a few days and have a little break away from everything.

Home ed wise we didn't get anything done on Monday between taking Josh to the opticians and tidying up for the LEA visit.

Tuesday was quite a good day. The kids each did their maths and science. They are loving Singapore Science and Ellie is already saying she wants to do more. We watched Schools TV Science Clips on Electricity and also on Magnets and had a good discussion follow on from watching those. They also read to me from their reading books. Josh is still loving his Beast Quest book and we should receive the first series from School Link tomorrow hopefully.

Today they each did their English. I am still trying to make up my mind over whether to get Writing Strands Level 2 for Josh or Writing With Ease Level 2. I feel he perhaps needs something to help but not sure what. Will have a look over the weekend and see what I can order. It took Josh over an hour to write a few paragraphs on our family. He says that he can't think of what to write.

I am also wondering if it is worth getting him tested for dyslexia. We have always wondered whether he is or not as when he was at school in Cyprus they thought he was borderline and I still think that perhaps he is borderline. I just don't know. He is still getting his b's, d's, p's and q's back to front and also the numbers 2, 3, 5 and 9. His reading has really come on lately but his spelling is still pretty bad too. We are working on that with Prime Ed My Spelling Workout B which is easy enough to go back to basics and try and boost his confidence. He is fine if I am sat with him the whole time but as soon as he is working independently all decent spellings go out of the window.

Anyway back to today, we made chocolate fairy cakes this afternoon and they were delicious. Here's a few pics:









Tomorrow I am taking the kids to a junior chess club. Josh is a great player and can easily beat me and dh. Ellie likes to play too but she gets hammered by Josh really. We have to go by bus and it will probably take us an hour to get there and over an hour to get home but hopefully it will be worth it. There is a bus at the top of our road that takes us to Cleveleys where it is held but I am not sure how close the bus goes to the place we need to get to so will have to have a look in a minute. They are both eager to go though so we shall find a way to get there.

Josh is also playing in the county cubs chess tournament on Saturday in Preston so I need to look up train and bus times to make sure we are there on time. Why is it that nothing ever happens around where we live lol!!

Now that we have fallen out with my family we have no other transport at all except public transport so hoping we can go and look for a car soon as I hate buses and think they are so overpriced round here.

J