While our Christmas will not be completely handmade, much of it will be. I have got the kids working on a few simple projects with fleece, making gifts for all our favourite friends as well as for Laolao and Laoye.. (Won’t say what the projects are, in case anyone is reading!!) I’m working on a few projects myself, with fleece and other fabrics. And some non-sewing projects, such as a calendar for the kids with pictures from our summer holiday, our time in Ethiopia, and home activities.
Speaking of Ethiopia, Hallowe’en was Button’s 10 month-iversary as part of the family. Things are starting to feel very comfortable and we are learning more and more each other’s foibles and how to manage emotions.
This morning Mustang did not want to get up. She doesn’t care for school, and Mondays are her worst days, she said. I said maybe later in the month she could have a “home day” when she can stay and work at home (reading, math, typing, etc.) She immediately jumped on the idea for TODAY!! Well, I said, it would depend on them (Button of course assumed that if it applied to Mustang it would apply to him, too) doing all their morning chores without multiple reminders, AND on whether Laolao agreed, as she’d have to spend some time with them. (Nanny is around, of course, but the kids would want to spend time with grandparents.) In the end, they did their chores pretty well but Laolao didn’t agree, saying they had lots of spunk and energy, why should they stay home?
Mustang took it well enough, but Button was quite upset and clingy to me. Again, I see that he wishes Mommy could stay home. (So do I.) Unfortunately there isn’t any real “spark” between the kids and Nanny. And today, even having Laolao and Laoye just weren’t quite “good enough.” Though when they arrived last week, he did tell Laolao he wished their house were glued to ours…
We resolved the situation by my taking them to the bus stop this morning again (Laolao and Laoye have been doing that since they got here) and we’ll aim for some special after-supper activity today. All will work out.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi Roma. I have always enjoyed reading your posts on the board and I have been a silent lurker on here for awhile now. I just had to say that we have had some difficulties with school lately and I really feel for you. It is soooo hard! We brought our daughter Selam (4 and a half) home from Ethiopia 2 months ago and our other 3 children missed a month of school. It has been an adjustment getting them back into it and helping them not feel like they are behind. So, I just wanted to say I feel for you!
Natasha
Thanks, Natasha. When we went to Ethiopia last Christmas Mustang missed three weeks of school (plus the two holiday weeks). I took along school work that the teachers had given and we did some very day, especially once we were "settled" in Addis in January. it was a real struggle; as often as not I ended up yelling at her or breaking down in tears before she would apply herself. I wish I had just forgotten the teacher-assigned work and done our own thing - learning in an "unschooling" way. But c'est la vie, you live and learn. Hope you're all settling into school and home life well now!
Post a Comment