Sports Day and rethinking things.

The first Tuesday of July is Fun Club Sports Day at the park, so that's what we were up to for most of the day today.  While I was timing children from about 3 to teenagers doing the obstacle course, there were various races and a welly wanging competition going on.  The 'littlies' (under 7s) did their own thing with some fun races and parachute games, while the older ones were split up into 7-9 year olds and 10+ and were a bit more competitive.  It can be a bit tricky getting the balance between genuine competition for those who want it and fun participation for those who aren't so sporty, but I think we generally get it right.  There's no obligation to take part, so there are a few, like K, who prefer to watch or help out, others who like to join in with everthing, and some, like M, who join in some things but not others.  It all went pretty smoothly, I think and we were fortunate with the weather, which is always a help!  M won the 7-9 years old sack race (something of a speciality as she has very good technique!) and when she missed the 7-9s 100m sprint, joined in with the 10+ instead and came 3rd, which she was very pleased with.  There was also a relay race with mixed age group teams, which M took part in with the team that won.

M with her certificates.

There was a frantic writing of certificates, of participation for the littlies and 1st, 2nd, 3rd for the older ones plus participation for any non-winners in the 7-9 age group.  There was a certificate for K, but since she hadn't taken part in anything she didn't want it!  I did have a word with her about remembering that people do things trying to be kind (like at Granny's bowls club last month) and she needs to work on declining things politely.  We all had our picnic lunches and then there was a big game of rounders for those who wanted to join in, again K didn't but was happy watching, M & I both did and I scored a rounder!

Once home K & M were listening to as much of the Harry Potter cd they've got from the library at the moment (The Order of the Phoenix), because it was due back today and somebody else had requested it, so we couldn't renew it.  I reminded them that we had talked about doing either writing or workbooks regularly and K got her maths workbook out and got on with that, while M did some Lego and then decided to start on a shared story with me.  This was something we have done in the past, but not for quite some time.  She started off a story, writing about half a page and I need to continue with my turn.  It's about a blibble-mandank called Fred (in case you're wondering a blibble-mandank looks like a spider but has nine legs and two horns on the tip of their tail).

This evening it was korfball for the girls, so after dropping the cd off at the library, I had a peaceful half hour at home on my own before picking them and A & J (who we lift share with) up.  A is away at the moment, he went to Amsterdam yesterday and is coming home tomorrow, but going to Lichfield first.  This means that I'm missing my choir for the second of three weeks in a row, as he was in Paris last week, Amsterdam/Lichfield this week and Berlin next.  Ho hum.

For the first time ever one of my girls mooted the idea of going to school this evening.  M told me that she thinks she isn't doing enough learning and basically that she needs more structure, possibly to the point of some sort of timetable from what she said.  I told her that of course we can do more and that I'm lead by what she (and K) wants or needs.  She was a little bit teary, although that's probably not surprising given how emotional she's been generally lately.  Anyway, tomorrow we have an appointment to meet at the kitchen table at 10.30am and she's supposed to be breakfasted, dressed and have done some piano and French horn practice.  We'll see how it goes!