Petits Haricots

We have had a number of different goes with SB of trying to explain why there is this huge historical and cultural ‘thing’ with the election of President Elect Obama. i am not sure that she still ‘gets it’. Firstly, she hasn’t been brought up to ‘notice’ colour. I mean, we know people are of different colours, as they can be of different faiths, sex, hair colour and age etc. It is an adjective, not a defining statement. [well, not for us - though I guess some people may chose to be defined by their faith or colour]. We have in the past discussed the possible evolutionary pressures that cause the different colours of skin predominantly [and hair as a side issue] – namely getting enough vit D from the sun near the poles, and not burning near the equator. So the appointment of a ‘person of colour’ seemed to her not to be anything particularly special, may just as well appointed a woman for example.

OK, so, backing off, although Pres Elect is not ‘descended from slaves’. This history of black people in America is one of slavery and then second class citizenry. We have lightly touched on the slave trade before, when we went to a museum in Bristol, and also on webland, but she had forgotten. We went further back and discussed the treatment of slaves by the romans, ah yes, she could remember that, and the fact they were treated as goods, separated from family. but she also remembered that they could be freed, and once free were treated as equals. [though, actually there came a time when slave/ true roman interbreeding was distinctly frowned upon] did this happen to the black slaves – well, not exactly! Even when they were all freed [emancipated] they were still second class citizens. they couldn’t go on the same buses and the same shops, date a ‘white’ person. We discussed civil rights, touched on klu klux klan, and Mrtin Luther King.

Eventually we got back to barack obama – you see, this is why it is such a big deal

pause…

‘I am part coloured’ “?what?” ‘well I have skin that tans quickly like daddy, and he is coloured’ “!??”

it is a difficult concept, as how pale should you be to be white, and how dark to be coloured/black. And yes, she is right, it really shouldn’t be a concept at all. Maybe, with a person of colour at the head of america, more and more children will also not be able to graps this concept either, because one day it will cease to have any more meaning than the colour of my eyes.

we went away to a birthday party for the weekend. looking at the blogring, it wasn’t the only birthday – happy birthday M.

so we went south and stayed at the portico’s, as did jax, and we were there for a swimming party to celebrate c’s birthday. the swimming party was fab, all the children really enjoyed both the swimming and the party food. we adults had far flung HE-ers to socialise with as well!! lovely

after retiring back to the portico, we cracked open the wine, and chatted until 3am putting the world to rights. the kids all had fun – mostly with sylvanian families. the portico had the Ordinary Jack (Bagthorpe Saga)
on audio tape. i must buy these for SB. i remember them being uproariously funny, and i think she would enjoy them now too [mind you, it was in my teens when i 'borrowed' them from my sister...]

the enxt morning, whilst the portico children were marching, jax and i slowly came alive, and big and sb played beautifully. mayhem when all the children about, and bb started a body jumping and wrestling match. having truly shattered the peace, we left!! thanks to layla for the party, and to the portico for hospitality.

Chris and the girls had a busy day on friday, they went to city 2 for a session on musicology. i think it was most interesting for the older ones, but sb and bb both enjoyed playing the electric guitar. the nice thing about the city2 group is that there is a wide age range catered for, and so sometimes the event is pitched a bit high, but def worth it for the evidence of peer happiness in HE.

rushing back in the afternoon, SB did lots of maths and some piano practice

then the girls and chris went to city 1 for a ceilidh. it was arranged by gina and katy, and was, by all accounts totally fab, and our girls really enjoyed it.

meanwhile i had a rather stressful day at work, arrived home to sink into sofa, to fin myself locked out. unforthunately in the drawn out kerfuffle which is the cuddle and kiss fest of my leaving for work, my house keys were left at home… so i had to go back to work!! however, i thought of a local to work colleague and went to his house for a lovely chat with him and wife, so all’s well that ends well!

I am not impatient, oh no!!

i am, however, wondering whether i can get away with negligible sleep – i don’t think so though!

American Dreams hey!

i have just been on the phone to MIL about various family health issues ongoing, and she told me about a conversation she had had with a church friend – it seems we have converted her into a pro HE radical! I am glad about this – it is upsetting that my parents steadfastly – with no evidence! – feel we are doing the wrong thing by HE. it isn’t really pointful to discuss it, as they just DO believe this, and if there are any glitches of any kind, it is always because we HE and school would be better now chris’s niece and nephew were initially HE, and chris’s parents were very unhappy about this, they were far more autonomously HE and v much more rural isolated, so not the same, but i was concerned about how they would feel about us doing it. I think they had reservations, but we are diff parents of diff children, and although we don’t homeschool, and are pretty child led, and if we amass 1 hour of formal stuff in a day it seems we have done well, i think the fact that then there is so much other stuff that being closer and more involved in our lives they can see the educational value of [ie the cooking and games etc] that we obviously have not only convinced them it is ok, but enough for them to say it is def better than school!! euge! [sorry for extremely long sentence!]

today the girls have made birthday presents for josie [sorry merry, but you need to prewarn a smile and a thankyou i think! i have a bought 'family present' too, but the girls were so pleased to be offering something they had made, and it does have a lot of counting thoughts, as it is most of this afternoon in the idea then making] SB done some maths – area – and piano, and a swimming lesson and reading like there was no tomorrow – a mixture of history, science and story books. BB has been a pickle, made rockets at the library group, and persuaded me into letting her do ‘bedmaths’ – a high treat!!