What a difference!

We've had a totally different day than yesterday. The activities I prepared made all the difference.

We started with one Thomas video, very clearly stating that the TV was going off when it was finished, during which we had breakfast. This was followed by various craft activities - we made a picture of different types of snow, using rock salt, milk powder, cotton wool, and painted white pasta. We wrote Tamsin's name with spaghetti and little silver balls, and we liberally sprinkled glitter and paint around. After that, we took the dog out for a walk, which is something which doesn't happen too often these days. Poor dog gets sadly neglected. When we got back, we played a game from the "Reading Games" book we have out of the library, and then Tamsin has spent a vast amount of time on the computer with her Thomas computer game, and 3 or 4 of her Learning Land CD-Roms. While she's had her tea (plain rice by request) she's gone through several of the Learning Land magazines. LL is an old part-work that I bought the complete set of very cheaply at an NCT sale. We have talked about germs and catching illnesses and the importance of washing hands, and we have talked about rain and snow and temperature changes.

Much of this has been possible because Isabelle has slept an incredible amount today. I hope this doesn't bode ill for the night, but it's been quite useful during the day! And each time she's gone to sleep, she's quite happily accepted it being without the boob in her mouth. Looks like my tough stance yesterday did the trick, even though it was stressful with some crying (always in arms, though, and never left on her own).

Long may it all continue!

Later added: I forgot - we also moved on to Lesson 2 of Sound of the Week .... so only about a month or 6 weeks after Lesson 1. At this rate, we'll get through the phonemes when she's about, oh, 24? I definitely haven't got it in me to be a 'school at home'er - I can't stick to a plan to save my life!