It’s been ever so pleasant.
Big was slow to get herself dressed and so on and we played some games before she got organised. Before I knew it it was lunchtime, so quick food while I got the kitchen sorted and excavated a whole sofa. Being a bit ruthless, I’ve managed to sort out a bag of rubbish from just in here – things like boxes that, let’s face it, toys *aren’t* going to go back into. Big helped me, and Small was a little so and so – got a wax crayon and drew on the little table and the tv cabinet 🙁
By the time I’d got the wax off (is there any easy way to do this?) it put me behind, so I was still hoovering when Sarah and gang arrived. Ages since I’ve seen Roo properly and Mimi for that matter, nice to catch up. Big and Dino did OK together too. Big’s other friend appeared about 3ish, and I sent the bigger children to play upstairs for a while. Small and Mimi more or less coped with each other – definitely parallel play rather than cooperative there! Small doesn’t like other toddlers, I’ve noticed this before. I’m not quite sure how he identifies himself, but I don’t think it’s as a little child. I think that could be part of what’s behind his reluctance to talk – I’m sure he thinks he is talking and that it’s us slow on the uptake adults who just don’t understand. Certainly any time you ask him to repeat something, or give any indication that you didn’t understand, he gets quite disheartened and gives up for a bit.
Tim and I had a chat about it, and we’ve resolved not to mention it around him – I know that he listens and understands rather more than I expect him to, and I don’t think stressing about his speech where he can hear me stressing is going to help matters. Yes, I know he isn’t very old, and there is no real reason to be stressing, but hey, this is me, what do you expect? So I try not to ask him what he said, or make any comments about his speech, and just talk to him as if he is responding in a comprehensible way. But I’d really like to be able to chat with him.
Anyway, this ought to be Big’s post on Big’s day. She’s been lovely. I’ve been supportive and understanding at times when she’s got a little stressed, and we’ve had a great time. She seems to have enjoyed all her presents, although we’ve had a couple of comments indicating that there were things she had in mind that didn’t arrive. Apparently she’s a bit low on baby dolls. Hm.
Other purchase of the day was the first issue of Horrible Science. It looks rather good, about the right sort of thing to kick off scientific type project work every couple of weeks. Not sure that its particularly rigorous or would hold the attention of anyone an awful lot older than Big, but she rather liked the look of it. I’m tempted to subscribe for the first six issues to get the free microscope – every home ed house needs a microscope, right? I particularly like the science time line poster as well – although I’m not sure about the claim that home computing was all the rage in 1977. 😉
Comments
14 responses to “What a lovely day we've had.”
I hate to say it (and I haven’t seen the microscope which comes with the mag, lol) but I suspect your money would probably be better spent on a microscope than on a mag with a free one, iyswim!
Anyway, glad you all had a lovely day 🙂
Hm, 6 issues of the mag with free microscope is £12. Cheapest I can find a microscope with the same magnification is £30. Think I might take the risk 😉
Yeah we looked at the TV ad for the mag and thought we’d get it if we saw it… Glad Big had a good day 🙂
Glad you had a good day. We got the mag (well, Hannah bought it herself when she was out with Flora on Wed, and I think she’s read it properly, and has been dropping big hints about me putting it on subscription, as Horrible Histories is coming to an end soon (I hope – about 6 issues, I think, to go, so a bit less than three months. Microscope – don’t know about this one in particular, but we use ours a LOT
I’m right there with you on the Small non-talking problem Jax and you know what? you are doing exactly as I have been doing with LC for the past 3 1/2 years. Just talk back as if you understood and try and figure out what she is saying (in non-verbal terms) and praise her for her communication and just treat it as normal. All I want to do is hear her voice. Strange isn’t it – but I’m sure we will be both be hearing their voice pretty soon 🙂 I’m made-up that you had a great day with Big too.
A belated happy birthday to Big for yesterday, I didn’t do the blog ring at the weekend, so missed it! Glad she had a nice time and glad to see that things are maybe a little calmer.
Jax, there’s a microscope in the Entertainer in town, which was very reduced – not sure if it’s this one http://www.theentertainer.com/pws/ProductDetails.ice?ProductID=2252 but I’m back in to town today, I could have a look? What level of magnification are you comparing it to?
(Of course, if you are just using this as a way to justify buying the mag, ignore me, lol!)
The Horrible Science microscope is 300x as far as I can tell – so the one you’ve linked to looks rather better.
The magazine might be useful to spark an interest, but I think a decent microscope might work pretty well in that direction too, so yes, if you could have a look that would be great.
Link following and googling to:
http://www.nulookipi.com.hk/products/detail.php?code=IHB59Z1E&ctg_code=microscope
and their site in general.
And then the microscope nerd’s advice on choosing a starter ‘scope:
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/dww/novice/choice.htm
Well Chelsea and Joseph have both enjoyed flicking through the mag, I’m not sure if it is just because it is something new, or if it will hold their attention. Time will tell.
We subscribed, and while it took about 5 or 6 weeks for things to arrive, Mark was absolutely thrilled with it. I don’t think you can go wrong at £12 for 6 issues plus the microscope (plus the tub of slime, eye protectors etc that come with the mags.) It’s not as though this microscope has to last them into their teens! The mag is 300x, 600x and 900x and much clearer than I expected for a freebie. Mark’s loved making his own slides of tissue paper, onion skin, toe nails and the like. The mini expts that come on the front cover interest him too and the content is OK except very gruesome in places and he doesn’t always get the word play.
Oh yes, and I forgot to say, the major bonuses with this one that I hadn’t thought of before it arrived are that as well as being very sturdy button wise (even took it to HE group and it survived), there’s a switch to go between looking down the eye piece or displaying the image on a viewer on the front of the microscope, so you can both look together and be sure you are talking about the same thing. Much easier to explain if you know what you’re both seeing!
Thanks for that Kath – very helpful. I feel a subscription coming on 😉