Seizing Opportunity in the Park

Yesterday, the calves and I went to Park Day with our new Home Ed. group. We loved Park Days in our old group and we are quickly coming to love them in this group too. 
I love the unpredictability. 
We know where, but we never know exactly what we will get up to. 


Last week we went to a park near a big old cemetery and ended up wandering around looking at all kinds of things whilst getting dive-bombed by a pair of plovers with a hunger for human blood. 
Despite the constant attack,we had a great time! Free to follow along with whatever comes up whilst enjoying the company of friends. 


Yesterday at a different park, the kids discovered two olive trees covered in fruit. After playing with the fruit and watching the boys cover themselves in the dark purple juices, the calves decided to pick some olives to eat. We quickly discovered they were absolutely awful! 
Gagging away, a lovely lady (whilst giggling at our stupidity), shared her knowledge of how to cure olives and prepare them for eating. 
The calves, inspired, rallied their friends and filled a bag with at least 5 kilos of olives! 


It was lovely to watch these kids talk about gathering them and what to do with them. The cooperation was beautiful...."I'll go up high and drop them down"...."I'll catch them in my hat"...."I'll get another bag from mum". 
They didn't need the adults to tell them what to do or how to behave, they just got on with the serious business of seizing the opportunity.


The kids came up with the plan to each take a share home and investigate how best to prepare them. When they were all ready, we would bring them back to another park day to share and compare.



Today, after watching some videos on Youtube, and researching online, we have managed to sort, wash, split and soak in brine at least 4 kilos of them! 
Great fun! And I have learned right along with them, just a little about a wonderful and ancient skill. 


This simple activity, that stemmed from the kids interest and the seizing of an opportunity is what Home Ed. is all about. For us anyway.
There is nothing special (or weird) about this activity or us. Families everywhere do things like this...when they have time together that is.


That's all you need....time together, and freedom to seize everyday opportunities. The 'learning' just happens!

"We'll see You in a Year"

As it turns out the meeting with THEAC was relatively painless. The lady stayed for two hours, we bombarded her with all kinds of examples of what we do and why and she left happily after assuring us we would achieve 'full registration' (whatever that means). 


Before her arrival, I spent the whole morning cleaning the house, despite my husband's assurances that she is not assessing our ability to clean. Of course, seconds before her arrival time, our new puppy decided to deposit an almighty disgrace at the front door! Bloody dog!
Still we managed to clear it up before answering the door...hope our red faces and hesitant grins or the strong smell of disinfectant didn't alarm the poor woman.


Our eldest calf hit her the second she walked in with her handwriting book, her favourite reading book and a bunch of things she'd been working on, feeling entirely annoyed that she seemed more interested in talking with her father and I than to her. 


We showed her little fish, we talked about the why and how, we traded stories and experiences, she shared some information on groups and where to access resources. There were no prying questions, no assumptions or threats. She didn't walk around the house with a clipboard and red pen. 


"See you in a year?" - deal! 

...If only everything could be so simple.