As the girls get older I really struggle with balance…
There are a few things that I want them to learn, life skills like music, swimming, but other than that I don’t want to fill their time with activities to go to, things to attend.
We watched an amazing programme a few years ago called ‘The Lost Adventures of Childhood’ and it resonated with us…put all the things which sat ill at ease with us, into place. I’ll not do it justice, but in essence, it was about allowing children time without adult directed or structured activities, time to explore, to imagine and interact with each other free from the presence of an authoritarian voice.
If you get a chance, watch it…it is soul searchingly good.
Johnny came away and researched a lot about the importance of this free play, this ‘doing nothing’ play, play without toys and was enthused about how we could allow this type of freedom in our home…
We try…
…we don’t always get it right but it’s an atmosphere we try hard to foster.
Of recent, homeworks have increased. We have needed to give some extra support in some curricular areas. Practise for piano and flute needs to be done.
Our girls get tired, a long day in school is filled by more stuff to ‘do’ when they get home.
They also have developed their own interests, different things which I want to encourage and inspire them to do.
Abi just wants to sew.
Annie loves to take photographs.
But the time left to encourage these fledging dreams seems so squeezed to the edges…the dregs of their day.
And it all grates against me. I want to give them their freedom time, time to pursue their own wee interests…time to just be.
I have yet to find the balance in all this.
The conveyor belt.
How do we step back?
How do we make our home the place of refuge it should be? Their own little shelter from the world of noise and demands.
We need to protect and cherish our little ones, to nurture them and stand up for them.
We need to protect and cherish our little ones, to nurture them and stand up for them.
To let them be little.
