Not Back To School

Every year around this time, our Facebook newsfeeds are full of uniformed children off for the first day of the school year. Some are going for the first time, others are off to a new school, others moving up a year. This wave of photos has become such an event that home edders often decide to post their own versions, usually clad in pyjamas doing something very not-schooly! HE groups across the country arrange Not Back To School Picnics (ours is next week) and even the most unstructured feel a compulsion to share stories of their not-first days. 

Exactly when the first day is depends on the school. Around here it seems to be today or tomorrow, which is quite precise enough for me. So if today doesn't quite meet your expectations of what we 'should' be doing, just hang on until tomorrow!

After such a busy day yesterday, we didn't have anything particular planned for today.  This morning Daniel took one look at the rain coming down in sheets and announced "I don't think we should go anywhere today." This was possibly to ward off any ad hoc suggestions I might have been contemplating - he knows me well! 

We started with Reading Eggs and Daniel bashed through four lessons to get to the end of the map (set of 10 lessons, after which the child must pass a quiz to be allowed to continue) and get his certificate. The games allow him to collect eggs which can then be spent in the 'shop' to furnish and decorate a virtual house. That got a bit obsessive at the start so we agreed with Daniel that he would save his eggs until the end of each map and then have some time to go on a spending spree with them. 

While Daniel worked and then played on the virtual shop and a few other bits, Adam played some number matching and shape games with me and wandered in and out. He seems to have grasped the idea of Daniel's work time and knows there are various things he can do if he wants to join in, so he is less desperate to stay with us for every minute in case he misses something. 

After lunch, Daniel and I spent ages with the lego rebuilding part of his fire station. When Adam woke up from his nap he 'helped', patiently redirected by Daniel who strategically fixed the wheels on a vehicle he could broom-broom round the sitting room. Eventually we got stuck thanks to some missing pieces. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to a movie and hot chocolate! 

This evening Daniel and I put together his new pop-up fire station book (thank you Lidl!) and discussed the plan for tomorrow. Watch this space!