How our week went

I feel as though we have had quite a nice relaxing week for the first time since the kids came back out of school. I haven't felt anxious about the lack of written work as I normally do.

We didn't do any formal maths and english work as I had intended as the kids have been quite interested in their own stuff.

I am torn at the moment between maybe introducing an hour or an hour and a half of formal work 3 or 4 days a week and then following their own interests the rest of the time. I know this is more a problem with me and worrying about what is the best way forward and I find it hard to let go.

Monday we went to food shopping. I only had a limited amount of money to spend so asked Josh to keep a rough total going round Asda and Ellie did the same in Iceland. They were fairly accurate too so that was good. When we got back they watched a few episodes of Walking with Dinosaurs which although Ellie is more into they both got into it. They helped me with sorting out the bookshelves to make sure all their books are more accessible.

Tuesday they watched more Walking with Dinosaurs and also 4 episodes of a programme I'd recorded on Ancient Egypt (Thanks Franbles for telling us about them). In the afternoon we went to see Fantastic Mr Fox as Ellie had finished the book and was desperate to see the film. Not quite as good as I'd hoped and it would have been better with English actors as that is how I had pictured Mr Fox rather than with an American accent. Kids enjoyed it though.

Wednesday we watched the remaining Ancient Egypt episodes, they baked some gluten free cakes with my dad and helped him with putting the ingredients into his breadmaker to make gluten free bread. The kids stayed overnight with my parents.

Thursday Ellie started reading George's Marvellous Medicine and spent the morning with her nose in that. Josh played on Club Penguin then we went off to the library where they each chose library books that look like they will actually come out of the library bag and be read. Ellie chose some Geronimo Stilton books after I'd seen them mentioned on another HE blog and shown her. Josh chose a creepy book (can't remember the name of it now) and a book on Greek myths. Unfortunately the only dinosaur books they had Ellie thought were a bit babyish. She spent some time in the afternoon playing a dinosaur game online.

Friday they spent the morning playing Bakugan together and then we went to the Sandcastle with another HE family as we'd manage to get a voucher out of our local paper allowing us free entry. The kids had a great time going on slides and into the wave pool. I loved the feeling of weightlessness in the water particularly during the wave sessions but getting out made my muscles feel like lead again and they still feel heavy this morning.

Today we have to go and order a mattress for the pram and then will relax I think as I have tons of laundry to try and catch up on.

Tomorrow the kids have church parade for brownies and scouts in the morning and then their 2nd Karate lesson at our local sports centre. They really enjoyed it last week and I think it will really help boost their confidence.

I don't think there will be much opportunity for formal learning next week as we have 2 whole morning hospital appointments and a midwife appointment so our only free days are Wednesday and Friday so we shall see how child-led goes again this week and I will do my best to facilitate that.