A day in the past

Jack is learning so much at home, he’s bright and cheerful and never alone, there’s always something good to do, like playing with bubbles or a trip to the zoo. Experiments with water and soap, testing if objects sink or float, painting and drawing are so much fun, there’s so much to do, we’ve just begun. Last week we went to BCLM, and learned how coal was mined back then, no shower for you, when you got home, a tin bath it was, but you didn’t moan. No electric for your light, no tv to watch at night, no pre-pack food or take-aways, no fridges, freezers or microwaves. History, science and a life of nowt, all learned about in a fun day out, to actually see, with their own eyes, helps children’s brains to realize. Being told things read from a book, is not the same as having a look, to experience things through seeing and doing, teaches us more in this life we are living. A picnic in the museum grounds, then jump on the bus to look around, down stairs first, to take a peek, then upstairs, to choose a seat. Into the town we went on the bus, a man stood waiting and waved at us, cobbled streets and lumps and bumps, down the road, past the petrol pumps. Then to the narrow-boat for a trip, through the tunnels, watch that drip! The limestone is white and crystal like, then out of the dark and into the light. Legging the boat, through the narrow gap, is hard work for 2 at the back, but we get through and come out at last, Jack’s glad he didn’t live in the past. The chain-maker is doing a demonstration, he has a chain, for a link to go on, he makes the link as we watch a while, “you would start at age 6”, he tells Jack with a smile. So much fun we’ve had today, laughing and learning along the way, looking at things, we’d never see, while stuck in school, at least till 3. Jack looks at me with a smile in his eyes “thank you nanny, it was a lovely surprise” “I didn’t know we were going today, to that museum to learn and play” ” I love being taught at home by you and seeing all the things I can do, like making cakes and playing chess and doing experiments that make a mess” We get home and Jack sits on my knee, “I’ll get that book you bought for me” he reads his book to me out loud, I tell him ” I love you, you make me so proud”