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Into 2023

We started a new year yesterday. No, we didn't stay up till midnight - there were plenty of fireworks, but the kids slept right through them. Cody, however, needed the toilet right as the worst of it went off and ended up hiding under the trampoline in the garden!

2022 was a good year for us. It feels like the kids are firmly in middle childhood now, we can do fun things and discover the world together. Golden years! So last year we made the most of exactly that: travel, both abroad and around home, along with doing life together. It's a joy to watch them and be part of it, and I wouldn't miss it for the world - home education truly is the best choice we've made.

Learning is everywhere - measuring the dog!

At the home ed co-op which we all love


Travel

In 2023, some travels are already planned: a beach holiday in Spain together with the grandparents in February (some much needed winter sun!), Spring Harvest in April (where I'll be working, but the kids will have so much fun and, hopefully, grow in their relationship with Jesus), Vienna in the summer. There may be more travelling here and there, particularly in the campervan as we can just spontaneously set off, but those are the main touchpoints.

Home Activities

When we're home, of course, it's not like we do nothing. Back in October I found a local karate club that the entire family can train together at, and that's an amazing find as most places will segregate by age, or at least by children vs. adults! So that will definitely be a fixture in our weeks. N(8) also started playing football back in September and is enjoying that very much.

We nearly stopped going to gymnastics because D(6) insisted he wasn't enjoying it and wanted to stop. So I didn't renew for the coming term; but after the final class, when I told him that he now never had to go again, he pivoted and insisted he loved gymnastics and wanted to continue! I managed to book him in again, N(8) wanted to continue anyway, and we've agreed that he's now going to carry on until the summer at least and then we can review.

Moving

Chances are, we will put our house up for sale again this year. The market right now looks volatile, but as we're already on the housing ladder it doesn't seem to matter too much if we lose some value - any house we buy will be correspondingly cheaper too. It's just a case of finding the right thing, both for ourselves and for my in-laws.

Faith

This is going to be a big year for N(8), who is starting her First Holy Communion classes this week! I will be there as a helper, so we can continue the conversation at home after the actual class. 

Resolutions

I used to be very big on resolutions. This year, I guess it's a bit like the mirror in the first Harry Potter book - as Dumbledore said, the happiest man in the world can look into the mirror and see himself exactly as he is. In a similar way, I don't feel drawn to much resolution making this year because I don't feel much needs changing! Which is an amazing place to be, I'm very grateful.

The only things, neither of which are new, are to speak more German with the kids; and to find a happy medium in my relationship with my phone (I know, me and everybody else!). As every year, I'm resolved to minimise my use of it while around the kids. I do feel that I've made improvements already, and in some ways the phone is just a thing - if it wasn't for the phone, I'd probably have my face in a book instead! - but I do feel it's important I model a healthy relationship with it to my kids well in advance of them having access to that technology.

All in all, we really look forward to this new year. More growth. More depth. Family, faith, and adventure. Bring it on!



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  1. Dee2 January 2023 at 14:45

    Love reading your stories as time goes by and see such a lot of changes in the children hoping to continue with seeing you here and follow you where ever you may go

    ReplyDelete

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