For a peaceful home, for a peaceful world
There are shoots in all of the beds. Pots filled with purple crocuses have opened up all in unison, as if a code word had been mentioned. We’ve started seeing bees (bees!) and I have seen my first frog. The birds are singing loudly, sweetly, and my daughter is suddenly drawn to our scruffy garden…
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What a year this has been. I am so tired. Are you exhausted too? But I am also craving December festivities like never before. We’re only two-thirds through November, but the advent calendar is ready to be hung, final gifts are trickling through the door, and I’m just about ready to wrap up “normal” life…
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Autumn is my favourite time of year, and I think I love the shift from summer to autumn most of all. The days are warm and mild but the mornings and evenings are darker and colder; I feel justified in wearing snuggly slippers and lighting candles, and called to bed earlier each night. I’ve found…
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Each morning, Frida and I gather for morning time over breakfast. We read poetry, learn about artists, listen to beautiful music, read nature books, learn languages, and so much more. One of my favourite parts of morning time is learning, singing, and reciting some seasonal songs and verses. With the current big shifts in the…
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Things can feel uncertain at the moment, and a lot of families I’ve spoken to are feeling worried and anxious about what will come over the coming weeks and months. I’ve quickly pulled this post together in the hope that it will help. How to talk about the virus with children Talking to children about…
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The word advent, from Latin, means “the coming” and this period – the four weeks or so before Christmas, beginning on the Sunday closest to the 30th November – can be seen as one of joyful anticipation as well as (spiritual or personal) reflection. Although we are not a religious family, I love the advent period…
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Are you feeling it yet? That chill in the air, the darker nights, whispering that the festive season is ready to begin? I don’t know how your family celebrates, but for me November is when I start planning for our Christmas, Chanukah and New Year celebrations in earnest (although in reality, I order Frida’s advent…
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We listen to a lot of Classical music throughout the day when we are at home, especially during morning time. If you use Spotify, you can find our current morning time playlist here. I edit it every now and again but it’s basically just gentle Classical music, and it’s a good place to start if…
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I speak about our family’s rhythms a lot – I run a whole course on crafting your own rhythms, after all! – and have been getting a number of questions on what our rhythm looks like this Autumn now that we are “officially” home educating Frida. So I thought I would share our current rhythms…
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Every day with Frida, as part of our morning time rhythm, we sing some sweet seasonal verses. I love doing this early, after we’ve read our daily poem but before we dive into books and French and maths and stories. I simply sing some verses, and she can join in if she wishes too. We…
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