* English currency! Every time I need to use it, I seem to make some mistake or spend far too long fumbling for the right amount, peering at the numbers on it. It's confusing to me!
* Living in a colder climate - although having the right clothes and shoes to wear outside and central heating inside makes a big difference.
* Having the same conversation over and over again - and coping with the reactions of people to that same conversation - particularly about our decision to not enrol our kids in school over here.
* Feeling like I'm saying or doing the wrong thing but not being sure what the wrong thing is - or if I am just misreading the situation.
* Being in a different time zone from so many friends and family.
* Drying our washing in sub-zero temperatures and with no clothes dryer. Needless to say, despite the fact I brought my cloth nappies with me, I'm not using them at the moment! (The central heating obviously helps, but it's a complicated juggle involving constant planning and monitoring; and we're washing our clothes a bit less frequently too!!)
* Having the chance to have my kids with me all day and having so much more time to teach them. (Am quite enjoying this one!!)
* Looking after rabbits. Anyone who knows me well will know that cleaning out a rabbit cage is not my idea of a fun time!
I WILL be getting used to driving a different car with it's own quirks in a different country as soon as I feel brave enough or am forced to by circumstances.
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5 comments:
Frankly I think you're wise not to get muddled up in our national curriculum which won't fit at all with you different year beginning/ending - and hard to slot back into stuff after your time away. I'm sure you'll gain a lot by having freedom to sightsee etc too.
I wouldn't have wanted to homeschool mine, but had I had a short period of time overseas I'm sure I'd have seriously considered it.
They're your family - no one elses opinion matters as much as what your family have decided is right!!
Your kids will learn SO MUCH in this part of their lives. What a great opportunity to spend time with them and teach them yourself.
I think you're doing brilliantly. UK money is confusing for many Aussies and homeschooling the kids is also going well judging from the amount of writing, reading and research that all three are doing. What you've done already would take weeks in most classrooms. I've seen some children's books with less writing in a term than Jake, Bec & Elsie have done already. And I don't think many children would ask their Mum to start school the week before!
Thanks everyone.
Yes, Chris, that was my thinking - not much point getting used to a new system - and starting half way through a year when we're only here for 6 months! They are still enrolled in their schools back home, so this is just a short term thing. I see it as a great chance to teach them some different things - and so far they are loving it!
You describe many of the things I experienced in our first months in the UK too!
Funnily enough, having been there for 3 years, I had some of the same experiences adjusting to being back in Australia.
And I definitely remember those puddles once the snow thawed out from the photos in your next post too!
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