Thursday 12 June 2008

Roots

A couple of local home edding families are fortunate enough to have a wonderful fourteen acres of land, complete with river and woodland to call their own. We are fortunate enough to have been invited along there today along with other local home educators for a get together.

The families who own the land have offered to host us all once a month and share their many crafts (basketry, wooden bowl making, iron work etc) and nature insights with us. The sessions are to be called Roots.



Although only a few miles from the city centre it felt like we were miles away. It was lovely to chill out and watch the children playing games, building assault courses, clambering around the woodlands and identifying different trees. A lovely relaxed day outdoors - my favourite kind of day.

When Miles becme tired and a little engulfed in the high undergrowth of the woodland a mei tai appeared almost as if by magic and he enjoyed a ride on my back. The little boy who had been in it a lot of the day no longer wanted to be in it just at the time we really needed a lift. Wonderful! I've used lots of different kinds of slings over the years but have never got on with mei tais before. That all changed today and I'm now wondering if I should try to pick up a second hand one even if just for occassions like this - nettles higher than child *grin*.

There is so much positivity in the local home ed community right now. I really do feel lucky to be right here, right now as a home edding parent. In the right place at the right time.

2 comments:

Bridget said...

The home-ed group sounds fantastic, wish I lived nearer.
I fancied a sling with my last child but was worried because he was 9lb 4 ozs born and put on wieght at an alarming rate. I was worried it would hurt my back carrying him all the time, I was relieved when he learnt to walk!!

Claire said...

Slings have been an absolute blessing for me as neither of mine would go into a pram or pushchair till they were two.

A lot of the harnesses and things you can buy in Mothercare and the likes are terrible to wear, but the more traditional babywearing carriers can be great once you've mastered them. Good for toddlers too. Once I got Miles strapped up on my back yesterday it was no different to carrying a ruck sack really!

Just thought I'd share my 'slinging' thoughts in case there are to be any further additions :-)