February is notoriously horrible for me and yet…..
….this year it hasn’t been so bad. Not because I haven’t felt the usual sluggishness and a complete inability to concentrate. No. The reason it hasn’t been all bad is because for the first time I haven’t tried to battle it. Accepting that one’s performance will be below par is far more life affirming than trying to pretend every thing is fine, when it is clearly not.
This February I turned off the alarm. I sleep worst during February and allowing myself an hour or so lie in means I don’t become more sleep deprived as the month goes on. I still feel un-energetic but I don’t feel too tired.
This February I changed the pace of our school work. I find it hard to concentrate and I also feel uninspired and out of ideas. So this year I prepared a month or so in advance for us to complete a project on Beatrix Potter. A comforting project topic, I think, and we all enjoyed the change of speed.
This February I turned my computer off. I basically shunned the world wide web, apart from keeping up with the requirements of being on the review crew, and posting a few posts I had pre-written for just such a time as this. It is good for me to periodically step away from the key board and relax a little 🙂
This February I took the half term off. As in, completely off. For a whole week I did nada! Well actually I didn’t do absolutely nothing, but I did not school plan or gather resources at all. I had a whole week of allowing my head to be muddled and accepting it for what it was. I ended the week with renewed enthusiasm for the rest of the month. I know. Go figure! This has meant that the past week I have been on fire….well no, not on fire but maybe a bit sparky? 😉
This February I have binned the guilt of not being quite myself and have embraced it as fact. This means we have enjoyed a slower pace which has nurtured us all. It’s funny because without even trying we have settled comfortably into a routine which is proving to be quite productive. Who knew we just had to slow down and the details would sort themselves out?
So this month, instead of the usual slump, I have found ways, not just to get through it, but to blossom. I thought I’d list a few things we have achieved, whilst at the same time slowing right down:
- Charlotte wrote a book in the style of Beatrix Potter entitled ‘The Tale of Tommy Fishermouse‘. Lillie is illustrating it and once it is completed we will be self publishing it with Amazon to give as Christmas gifts this year.
- Lillie completed her second art lesson and achieved 90%. We were chuffed to bits!
- The girls completed their English Language IGCSE work and have now been preparing to take the exam. We are working through one paper a week, doing timed essays and peer marking them. They are close to being ready to take the exam in June
- Speaking of which, I booked the girls in to take their English and Thomas in to take his IGCSE in Chemistry
- Thomas completed his Chemistry work in January and has spent February working his way through his Chemistry 101 dvds and SAM Learning. He is now the top pupil in SAM Learning which is fun to see! He has just started taking past papers and once he has completed all his SAM Learning, he will devote that time to answering questions on past papers. I am having him mark his own work so that he can see from the marking scheme and examiner’s report exactly what they are looking for.
- Charlotte has become embroiled in her own novel about s** trafficking, which she reads out loud to my mum each day. She is also coming along nicely with her IGCSE in English Literature.
- Lillie has begun another mixed media art course from alishagratehouse.com based on a Valentine theme
- A8 has moved up a group in her swimming lessons and is enjoying increasing her basic skills across the board with her school work. I am excited to see what her year holds academically this year.
- B5 became B6 and we had a time out with friends at the cinema watching Sing. She is very proud of being a “big girl six”. She had asked for special colouring in pencils so we bought her a gorgeous wooden box of colouring pencils, water colour pencils and drawing pencils. To say she was pleased is an understatement. And she is so cute looking after them so carefully.
So February has come and gone. Spring is here and the future looks bright….
