tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post5451321574097295235..comments2024-03-15T08:23:30.514+00:00Comments on An Ordinary Life : What about friends?Lisa Gwinnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16217510693331174728noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-25841445083077592422013-08-13T08:57:26.993+01:002013-08-13T08:57:26.993+01:00Great post Lisa :)
Chiara will be just fine, the ...Great post Lisa :)<br /><br />Chiara will be just fine, the most important thing is to let her develop at her own pace-which is just what you are doing. Our son Alex was a a chatty little soul when he was young probably because he had to be, nursery school from age 2, then Primary school until 11 and holiday camps and every activity going under the sun. As an only child I felt that I 'had' to ensure that he mixed at every opportunity. As he grew older he became less inclined to mix and more content with his own company. When we took him out of school one of the first things that he said was how relieved he felt not 'having' to be with other people all the time !! <br /><br /> I should have realised sooner than he is like my Hubby and my dad, happy with his own company, a few friends or mixing with older people. Peer groups have never really been his thing. Took me a long time to wake up to that fact. Now he is coming up 17 and a well adjusted, polite young man, happy in his own skin and growing in self confidence xxSunnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03883872967866412467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-999445877477637922013-08-12T13:45:09.465+01:002013-08-12T13:45:09.465+01:00That is so encouraging, thank you Ross for sharing...That is so encouraging, thank you Ross for sharing that here :) I know my Chiara is fine and will grow into a confident young woman I just hate it when other adults voice their concerns (unnecessarily) about her in front of her as it can be damaging.<br /><br />I do the same thing as you, I encourage the smile or a simple hello and thank you where needed. She is getting better but like you say I don't want to push her to be something she's not. I do listen her when she is uncomfortable in certain groups. It's so good to hear that with love and support it all works out well in the end <3 xLisa Gwinnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217510693331174728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-19909657302845982612013-08-12T09:39:32.654+01:002013-08-12T09:39:32.654+01:00Great post and a subject I'm often writing abo...Great post and a subject I'm often writing about on my blog too! It's so weird to think that the social climate inside a school is a normal one really as it isn't replicated anywhere outside it! Charley, my youngest, was so shy as a child that she'd pull her hat over her face rather than look at people. She certainly wouldn't 'perform' for the health visitor who had to keep coming back until she'd satisfied her chart ticking! During all her Home Ed years we integrated with groups that were non-threatening, inclusive and empathetic to all children's differing personalities and I also gave her a few simple strategies to help her cope with others like a quick smile and a hello is all she need do till she felt more comfortable. And now she's 19 she's the most socially competent, caring, loving a and huggy person I know and can't understand why others aren't capable of a simple conversation! Even my adult friends always say what lovely hugs she gives and how easy she makes people feel. Who'd have thought it - she's better at it than me who still feels I'd like to pull my hat over my eyes sometimes! :) Ross Mountneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10197824499243468021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-68679449792350473312013-08-12T00:20:36.375+01:002013-08-12T00:20:36.375+01:00Thank you Bridget :)Thank you Bridget :)Lisa Gwinnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217510693331174728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-60430521753482195192013-08-12T00:20:21.630+01:002013-08-12T00:20:21.630+01:00Thanks Smuckybee :) 45 children! Wow, that's...Thanks Smuckybee :) 45 children! Wow, that's fab and makes a super point to those who worry so much about socialising - cool! xLisa Gwinnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217510693331174728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-65654629808154503242013-08-12T00:10:16.593+01:002013-08-12T00:10:16.593+01:00Thank you divasupermum, I feel very blessed even t...Thank you divasupermum, I feel very blessed even though we do have the odd sore day) I'm sorry to hear your home ed journey didn't work out :( xLisa Gwinnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217510693331174728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-37033030237639618242013-08-11T22:49:53.253+01:002013-08-11T22:49:53.253+01:00Well said. I couldn't agree with you more and ...Well said. I couldn't agree with you more and I couldn't have put it better myself!Bridgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12545418260169484456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-78946873737602788402013-08-11T19:24:11.238+01:002013-08-11T19:24:11.238+01:00Couldn't agree more. The idea that you can onl...Couldn't agree more. The idea that you can only socialise with people more or less exactly your own age is so false. I have a friend who often questions stuff about home ed and she once said it was a shame Hannah didn't go to school as she was so sociable and would probably like to mix more with other children but a) she has plenty of opportunities to mix with other children...we invited 45 children to her birthday party last year..children aged between 6 and 13 (she was 9) and b) when she's chatting to *you*, corncerned friend...she *is* socialising. Just because she is a 10 year old girl and you are a 53 year old woman doesn't invalidate the social interaction. The people with whom she socialises range from her 6 month old cousin to out neighbour who is in his late 80s. They are both male and female and come from a range of different cultures and backgrounds! She is adept at socialising in the "real world". And where she's had difficulties, a loving parent who actually *cares* what kind of person she grows into is better placed to guide her through it than her peers or adults who do not know her or care about her.smunkybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08747037969564019267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-56664279922136301832013-08-11T18:31:59.403+01:002013-08-11T18:31:59.403+01:00this a lovely post,i am glad its working out for y...this a lovely post,i am glad its working out for you, all children are different, i am sure Chiara and Honi will be fine,there are so many home ed club activites to do,it did't work out for my home ed mainly because she was a teen and had bad experinces in school, but most home ed kids that i have met are lovelydivasupermumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12607215367412354791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-60474338024128011642013-08-11T16:55:59.861+01:002013-08-11T16:55:59.861+01:00Thanks Angela, I do too. Our LA lady is reasonabl...Thanks Angela, I do too. Our LA lady is reasonable but it depends what pressures she's getting from her boss I suppose. <br /><br />That is lovely how children like Iona and Honi are so friendly isn't it :) <br /><br />I think it's people like them that knit the world together in friendship I think and it's just as important to let them grow and be who they are too :)Lisa Gwinnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217510693331174728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590150121803751861.post-5449048969755568102013-08-11T15:39:55.898+01:002013-08-11T15:39:55.898+01:00Hope all that with Chiara doesn't cause any pr...Hope all that with Chiara doesn't cause any problems for you with the LA. It would be silly if it did as you obviously socialise them well and as you say we need introverts like me and Chiara. Honi again sounds like Iona - we had to virtually drag her out of church today as she just wouldn't stop talking to the older people, and when we got the train from Derby to Wakefield the other week she nattered to the teenage girl opposite for the whole hour!!Angelahttp://www.educatingiona.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com