Finally, nearly 2 weeks since E first asking how her china breakfast bowl was made, we finally made it to a local pottery. We just went to check it out, and had assumed it would be something I would go back to during the week with the kids on my own. When we arrived we were the only ones there, so got 1:1 attention from the potter who offered to let E throw a pot with her. It took a little while for E to build her confidence up, but the lady was brilliant and getting her to open up and talk, and before we knew it she's made a fab bowl. Because we were the only ones there, she asked 
if E would like to make another one, and off they went, this time producing a vase, which went a bit wobbly at the top, but instead of correcting it, the potter decided it actually looked fab as it was! They're going to fire and glaze them for us, and we get to go and collect them in about 4 weeks. The alternative was bringing them home as they were, letting them air dry and watching them slowly turn to dust :-( Luckily E could see the long term view and we'll see them in their finished glory in a few weeks!Meanwhile, H had touched pretty much everything in the place, so to prevent her from destroying everything, we set her painting. I asked what she'd like to paint, and she stopped next to a b
owl that was taller than she was!! I changed tack, and pointed her towards some littl
e things: a butterfly, caterpillar, snail and a dinosaur!! Strangely enough she picked a dinosaur! She went through pretty much every colour they had, so it is going to be a very technicolour dinosaur! E finished her potting, and wanted to join in the painting fun. We had to talk her down from a huge elephant, to a smaller piggy bank, and she set about painting it all over in pink, then decorating with a yellow and purple flower design. It looked really fab when she'd finished!!We had to dash back as B had arranged to pick up a futon that he'd found on freecycle - yessss! Have been desperate for one in the playroom, so I can sit comfortably in there with them while they play, rather than dragging all their toys up to the sitting room!! I like my creature comforts ;-) We spent the rest of the afternoon sorting the playroom out, and re-organising it to fit the new layout! E showed me what a dab hand with a broom she was, and she swept the whole room on her own, she'd obviously been paying attention all this time!!
Lucky you! That's not fair I want a 'local pottery' !! though we are blessed with a fabulous ceramic painting place.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThought it would be rude to read and leave! littlegreenbuddha recommended I read your blog to find out more about HE, all the bits I've read so far have been very interesting. How did you convince hubby to get on board with it all?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry - removed the post as I was logged in under the wrong name!
ReplyDeleteYou're working so hard for E and H - they're lucky girls. You're putting me to shame!
Mam - yes it was a lucky find! Though 'local' was probably stretching it, as it was nearly half an hour's drive away.
ReplyDeleteClareybabble - it's my first blog so I think I have been over-enthusiastic with all my entries! Persuading B, well...our reasons for HE started because our daughter, E, was really not happy going to school every day (lots of crying, screaming, pleading not to go), and when she got back she'd just be tired and moody, so home life was pretty rubbish. B was worried that HE would be too difficult for me with bump arriving all too soon etc, but then I got him to think about what he got out of school, and therefore what E would be missing out on by not being there, he really couldn't give any good points! Then we started thinking about all the things E would get out of not being at school - everyday life, covering any topics that interested her, not just those prescribed by the curriculum, cheaper holidays out of school term constraints, more one on one time etc etc. His sticking points were when (if ever) would she rejoin the school system, and how she could go and do qualifications, or a degree if she wanted to. He is an engineer, and asked at work if there was anyone who was HE'd that he could talk to about their background. He had loads of replies and this seemed to put him mind at rest that E could do whatever she wanted to in the future. He was also a school governor, and was becoming a little disillusioned with the whole school system, from a government point of view, e.g. there are 30 kids in a class, not because there is evidence to show this is a good number to have, but because that is the number required in order to gain enough funding per child to employ the teaching staff. We are both aware that we only worked enough at school to scrape through, we were never enthused enough to read around our subjects, so we are really interested in the aspect of HE which will mean that when E gets an interest in something, she (and we) will have to use lots of resources to find all the answers - not just the textbook that is handed to her at school. We're just really excited by it all!! Hope that sort of answers your question?!
Clare - you confused me for a sec! We bow to your HE seniority, I've only been doing this for 2 weeks. I'll burn out soon!!!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for that...I've been reading around about HE but haven't really broached the subject with W (hubby) yet. I might use some of your ideas to get us talking about it. Wish me luck! Oh and don't worry about being enthusiastic with your blogging, it's a great way of recording what your children have done as it can be so easily forgotten otherwise!