When your kids have taken days and days off school to do music, and you try to fit some grammar in at a random library inbetween rehearsals, and you do 5 minutes and they reckon they deserve a break.....

Skype

Aly already has a weekly Skype chess lesson, but we took things a step further recently. Andrew was away on a work trip but still did Daddy-Maths from sunny L.A!

Musical Christmas

We had a wonderful time being the band at our local homeschool network’s Christmas show.

Running

Aly and I have been going for an early-morning, pre-breakfast run for six months. Now we are in the habit of getting up and out we find it a great way to start the day. It gets some daily exercise in, which makes us feel better, and it keeps us in touch with the nature around us. Even the gloomiest looking days are beautiful once you're out there! Struan started joining us too a few weeks ago. 

More Music Exams

Both boys are very keen musicians, and spend almost as long practising their instruments as they do doing all their schoolwork put together! Aly sat his 11th ABRSM exam on Friday, and Struan his 7th! Swimming with waves and flume to celebrate, and lunch at the pool.

Half-Term

We've decided to do a standard academic year this year; taking holidays when the local schools do. The boys lives are revolving more and more around their extra-curricular interests these days. This means they don't like to miss their weekly classes, which follow the academic year, and that they socialise more with kids who go to school and want to be off when they are. So, we had a half-term for the first time ever. Still a few hobby events, though. A National Youth Recorder Orchestra playing day and a chess congress in Newcastle. There's a drama performance tomorrow, too. 

History Reading...

...proper homeschool style!