Tuesday. The Prime Minister did last night actually decree that we must not leave our homes except for a very few limited reasons. This just keeps getting weirder, more surreal and actually, a little bit scary.
So, we carried on with our home school.
Little Seymour was having another tantrum by 9.15. This time, it was because her choice of PE lesson was not Joe Wicks (oddly, she turned him off), but the XBox. And having just got Boy doing something on paper, it was just too much of a distraction. I told her we’d do our PE later – now was the time for written stuff. She was not best pleased.
We did some spellings, some phonics, some Maths and some diaries. It was all a bit farcical, if I am honest. I was run ragged trying to cater for a stroppy twelve year-old, a dyslexic seven year-old and a ten year-old boy who couldn’t care less.
But we did hit a nerve with Anne Frank – poor dear girl. I tried to explain to them about her life – her normal life, before the Nazis ruined it and sent her into hiding and thence to her death. I’ll give them their due, they did start to listen at that point. (The Little Seymours, not the Nazis.)
I then read The Buggers some of The Borrowers for a bit of personal respite, making them listen to me as they coloured in. By half eleven , we were done in.
After lunch, which we are rationing, I decided we would make a model village. (If we are to continue with The Borrowers, as I hope we do, The Buggers will find this relevant.) We moved a little wooden dolls’ house to a sunny spot in the garden, waterproofed its roof, set it on bricks, and then planted a garden around it. There was arguing – there always is. There was some swearing about the arguing. But we how have a nice little detached residence tucked under the mini Magnolia stellata- “Villa Corona”. All ready for Homily, Pod and Arrietty. And possibly Peagreen. And Spiller. And Uncle Hendreary. (You must read it, it’s ace!)
I was ashamed in the afternoon when Boy’s teacher telephoned. How were we getting along? She asked. Only, she went on, she hadn’t seen him log in to Seesaw… I hurriedly explained we’d been doing some shape work for Maths – amongst other stuff. She said to stick to the topics they’ve covered. Der. I felt like an imbecile. No wonder he found shapes tricky.
Boy promptly logged on – very easily- to his own page and got some actual set work done.
We did our PE – our one permitted exercise stint. Another lovely walk/run/cycle through the countryside. (That’s genius differentiation in my lessons right there!*) Getting out makes you feel better, that’s for sure. There is so much uncertainty but the sky is still blue and the trees are still growing – for now. And so taken was I with my beautiful local landscape that I sat up until late, filling in my objection to the imminent threat that is the Mayfield Market Town, an horrendous carbuncle of a mega development that is being mooted a few miles away from us. If only Corona Virus could somehow scupper that too, I and many others would be most grateful. After all, it’s done a pretty good job of scuppering everything else.
By the way, locals – it’s not too late to put in your objections! (Especially with all this time on our hands..!)
https://lambs.org.uk/objectnow/
(*Boy cycles as he can’t walk well, Big Seymour cycles because his knee hurts from skiing and its easier than walking, Mini Seymour cycles because she’s a lazy oaf and gets Number Two to push her, Number Two walks because she can’t be arsed to source a suitable bike but ends up being Mini’s outboard motor, Number One cycles because she can be arsed to find a suitable bike and then ends up giving Mini a “backie” whilst Number Two rides The Smallest BMX in the World home, and I run, because I like it. It means I am often apart from the tribe… snatching some peace!)
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