The next day was the start of half term for school attending children, which saw Lillie spend the week at her Dad's with her three siblings. She had a fab time - a family photo shoot, clothes shopping, a trip to a nail bar to have nails painted, playing out with her step-brother, cake making, and seeing other family members and friends. Plus there were some email exchanges plus phone calls everyday between her and myself.
The yummy looking cakes Lillie made with her siblings and step-mum - and I have to confirm, these cakes tasted delish too. Thank you Lillie for saving me one to eat :o)
Back home Friday, more clothes shopping for Lillie on Saturday. Plus, for the past 3 weeks I have been giving Lillie pocket money. I still give her all else she is used to, but pocket money is to teach her how to budget what she has, ultimately teaching her the value of money. Perhaps saving for something, which she is now doing as she wants another iTunes card.
Then the rest of the weekend was spent having a Harry Potter film fest! We managed the first 4 movies and loved them in Surround Sound. I love my surround sound system full stop!! We ate well and healthily too. Sunday was a pyjama day and very much a relaxed atmosphere of only getting dinner ready, getting today's things ready, a little ironing and the washing up done. Heaven is all I can say.
Today was back to reality and routine - I've made the decision to go back to my original idea for having a qualified Nanny - Lillie will benefit more and back to a less structured way. She has not complained getting up so early, but I think after a week of not being woken by having to have brekkie, get dressed and having to leave the house, all by a set time has been the last deciding factor. And preferably a Nanny who totally 'gets' the HE way. It certainly would make our life that much easier. And of course my travel time will be cut, so extra given back to us. I know this to be the case, from the last Nanny we had - but this time someone more experienced and qualified already, for the job. I've begun advertising and hope it won't be too long to wait.
And anyone reading this who is saying - Oh, but she will need to have set times at some point in her life, especially when she has to go to work! Yes, your right and she already does have set times for some things! So, I think she will cope well when the time comes, as long as she is in a job that she loves, which I will encourage her to do rather than steer her into something she may not enjoy or commit to. I remember that form of education all to well when at school!!
This afternoon we played Monopoly - great game for money handling, problem solving, being competitive and enjoying participating rather than focussing on winning! Though, I won the game!! And Lillie was very gracious about it with congratulating me. Time for the laptop for her after, while I prepared dinner alone today. Lillie browsed Moshi Monsters and the BBC Bitesize website - she enjoyed working more on grammar, fractions, plant part names, recognising sources of light and then further organisation for her Grease themed birthday party this year.
The evening has been spent with myself on the laptop, Lillie face-timing and watching a DVD tucked up in bed. She's asleep now and I'm just about to finish this post, grab a fresh cuppa and continue on with Oh Dear Silvia by Dawn French - I've only read the first 6 chapters, but I'm liking it a lot....
Lina and I have built up a good friendship, so makes working together professionally far easier (when I am not being all defencsive about HE!!). We have discussed the home ed' side of life and it is now obvious to me that Lina was never against it. She understands why I can get very defensive over my choice to HE Lillie and has made it clear she wants to support my choice and be involved with helping out in any way she can while Lillie is in her care weekday mornings. So, we have devised a plan which Lillie has agreed to.
As I have stated in previous posts that the time has come to prepare Lillie for future studies, which entails more structure to her academic life. This has already begun and of course Lillie will still have plenty of time to follow her own interests too, including any courses she will study in the not so distant future. However, she is aware that English and Maths at GCSE level will be compulsory to her if home education continues.
Lina has agreed to working alongside Lillie with any academic work I set her, such as listening to Lillie read. This will mostly help to build up confidence with reading aloud, as she only does this with myself. Though, I have overheard her reading aloud to her step-brother, during their 'face-timing' moments. Lina has also agreed to assist Lillie with little literacy and maths tasks when needed and Lillie has agreed to accepting suggestions Lina may make. This in no way means tutoring Lillie, it's simply extra support for her. To me this speaks volumes and shows just how much Lina cares for Lillie and indeed our way of life. I've said all along I wish I had found Lina first.
As for the travelling side of things, well it's all worth it and it has previously been mentioned that Lillie has never complained about the time she gets up each weekday morning. It will not be a forever situation anyway, as there will come the time when Lillie will be mature enough to stay home by herself. I think it's better for Lillie, in the present to keep the familiarity of her days while I am at work, rather than place her in another situation that she will have to once again settle into. She enjoys her time at Lina's and with the other children and the support is there too. You can't get much better than that.
So, I am feeling much happier with this conclusion and am relieved it has all worked out. I just hope one other situation does today at the family court hearing this morning. For Lillie's sake more than anything else.
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