CHARLOTTE'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

My poor little Babe.  This was to be the first day she would be away from her sisters and her Mama.  For six years I have homeschooled the babe but with a difficult pregnancy and a summer of her showing a desire for something different from me, we made the decision to put her in school.  This isn't any school.  It is a two floor schoolhouse in the country.  The children are taught together in one class from grades 1 to 8.  The teacher is wonderful.  The school is a community.  The parents are wonderful.  Not to say that other schools don't have this.  But for us, the three day school week was key.  It allows us to continue to spend time with our little babe.  She can feel comfortable in a small class with elder students that serve as leaders.  Her days are spent in nature.  Each child is supported and treated as an individual with unique interests and capabilities.  It is a warm cozy place for learning.

My Babe is very like me in so many ways.  She had been building the transition up in her head for a while.  We didn't want to surprise her.  So we thought it was best to concentrate on the positive aspects.  There was an orientation at the school and a cleaning day.  This proved beneficial.  She was able to play with classmates before entering the class.

But on that first day, she most definitely shed tears.  Me?  Not so much.  Okay, maybe a little when I read to her the card I made for her.  I'm quite confident that this was a great decision and although I will miss her, we have to do difficult things as parents and I've fully accepted that.  Our time away from each other is short but it is so great for our family unit and as individuals to explore things that are good for our soul.

It has been an adjustment.  The days are quieter.  Harriet finds herself yearning for her sister.  She is a little lonely.  Her best friend for her entire life is off exploring new things.  But now the time that she never had with me is more present.  She holds my hand more readily and asks shares more with me.  It is something I had been missing for three years.

Needless to say, after a two hour sit-in with Charbaloot on her first day, the Papa and I picked up an overjoyed Babe.  "Awesome" graced her lips numerous times.  Her face lit up.

NOTE:  Charlotte is at an age where she is definitely more aware and knows of the blog.  Any photos of her I post or any content that relates to her, I fully ask if she wants me to post them.  I would never want her to feel embarrassed or feel like I am sharing personal events that are unique to her and she would like to keep private.  I honour her as a person and respect her wishes.  She approved all photos for this post.

A MANIFESTO

I have a one year old babe now.  She is precious, perfect, enjoyable, amazing, far from challenging.  I am a mother of two other babes who rock my world daily.  They love our interactions and encourage me to be the best.  Hilarity, cleverness, curiosity, happiness and health permeate.  And to me emotional intelligence is far more important than other "intelligences".  I fill their day with play centred learning, affection, good food, love.  

My vision for my children may not fit into the mainstream.  I want to homeschool with a nature-based unschooling approach.  I want them to be taught to navigate through this "real world" of commercialism, greed, technology, with an understanding but also with questions.  I want them to value the earth, our greatest gift and cherish all its gifts which we destroy each millisecond.  Mainly I want them to love.

These are all  simple desires.  For some, surprisingly those closest to me, these are absurd.  My decision to unschool by some is considered outlandish.  They site anti-social behaviour, have had the audacity to imply that my children are unintelligent and that their ways of mothering are better.  They seem to also imply that I am intentionally trying to harm my children.

Let me begin with the fact that I've heard it all before.  My babes are Vegan.  Okay...are you over it yet?  Well I am.  Everything I do, I approach from a place full of experience, education and research.  To ever imply that I would go out of my way and harm my kids implies that I am uneducated and basically a selfish monster.  So thanks for that.  Secondly,  if you don't know anything about veganism, research and then maybe ask me about it.  I'll be happy to inform you.  Because I am confident.

 

So back to the homeschooling thing: IT IS MY THING!  It is the one thing that I am passionate about. It is the one thing, next to veganism, that I have researched extensively and implement daily.  And for those of you who don't know, or know and choose to ignore,

Or still judge or whatever, I am educated.  I graduated top of my class. I am well read and for that which I lack I seek assistance.  I love learning.  

I am writing this post to basically get it off my chest because quite honestly it hurts when those closest to you, those who are supposed to support you in your passions don't.  It hurts even more so when those same people who you have supported unequivocally and have never talked smack about, don't afford you the same respect.  And quite frankly, I'm tired (physically and mentally...ask the papa how ill it has made me) of explaining our decision and having my confidence kicked in the butt.  So this is the last you will hear of my thoughts on homeschooling.  I'm going to carry on my confident way and love my babes.  

(Any grammatical errors I chalk up to the old I phone)

VEGAN MOFO: BAKING WITH BABES

As vegan parents to vegan babes it is important to model our veganism as well as involve our babes as much as possible in the preparation, gathering and making of food.  We live in a great community surrounded by local Farms and gardens which I am hoping to be involved in the upcoming growing season, but for now we cook and eat with our babes and to us, it is important.  This morning the Littlest Big Babe helped the Papa in the kitchen with making his Sunday morning pancakes (today is a holiday so we are making them instead).  It is so fun to watch them make messes and feel the ingredients.  I think there is great satisfaction in making something.

Here are my top tips for baking with babes:

1.  If you are new to the idea, pick a day and time each week to bake a simple cookie recipe.

2.  Have all ingredients gathered beforehand and read the recipe so you can better guide them in the process.

3.  Let go of the idea of containing the mess.  It may get messy.

4.  You can write down the recipe for each child and put pictures of the ingredients beside the measurements to visually guide.

5.  Ask them what they enjoy doing.  Everyone has tasks they like.  Let them do those.

6.  Get down to their level or bring them up to yours.

7.  Invest in some baking tools for little hands.  They would definitely enjoy that trip.