Monday: it’s a public holiday but H is doing geography- this started as she had to be a detective to work out what country her book The Hardy boys is set in. She worked out the book was old due to word usage “fellows” and “chums” and leaving the girls behind… She is using an old map where the Ukraine is still part of Russia (she noticed) for reference.

at the same time as listening to an audio book, and then the top 30 classics as voted by the Concert programme listeners. All day!!!

Tuesday: Up early, even made me coffee.. and we spent the morning volunteering at a hospice shop. Today H was processing the clothes coming in, checking them, putting them on the right hanger (they are weirdly particular about the hangers) and even helping the new assistant manager with stuff that she knew and the new assistant manager didn’t yet! Adults do have a tendency to not really listen to children so H had to persist until being heard. I steam clothes, listen and try to keep out of it as the scenario of predominantly older adult volunteers learning and the Manager’s teaching style, or lack of, is interesting. I listen to adults having the same emotionally fraught feedback that teachers are supposed to plan for and mitigate – autonomy, making mistakes etc.

Followed by our weekly meeting where we worked out her average page reading per day =200.

Wednesday: we opened a bank account for H.. it took ages but lots of good words and the bank lady took Helena’s financial education very seriously and I really liked the way they all looked and talked directly to her. A speed library visit. Then Cello – a pre lesson cram practice and writing out the piece she composed, called bouncing balls, with the correct “punctuation”…

Thursday: Up early to continue the prep for the school game she started Wednesday with some friends.

and she kept going until she realised it wasn’t as much fun with out friends so started reading and more reading..

I wonder if her future experiences of school will be anything like her imagined ones?

“I really like working out my own way to do school.” “They are doing their test with buddies.” And I got to give her a lesson on how to work out %

Friday: and we were off in the car all the way to Amberly. Learning? Probably heaps, some more geography, some weather, it was pretty intense! With a classical music soundtrack.. and followed by a maths code worksheet about stats that the three of us did together. Then we stayed with friends and she played a map and talking game with adults totally holding her own and contributing.

My kid is so cool.