Money and children!

I found my lost lottery ticket.  Well not me exactly my husband did.  Do you know where it was?  In my purse!  It was hidden amongst all the many cards I have in my purse.  That sounds good doesn't it, except the majority of them are things like my driving licence; my library card, my nectar card, my boots card, and about 10 different loyalty cards.  Only a couple are some what interesting, but only to me, I think a thief would be quite disappointed.  But I have my 2nd winning ticket on the lottery.  Last time I won my husband bought me a ticket (I never buy my own) and I won £10, this time I won £10.60!  Ha!  Well, at least it's going up.

To be honest, I'm not too bothered about winning or not.  Don't get me wrong if I won a lot of money I would be smiling, I would be buying the big house and travelling the world, throwing parties and all the rest of it.  There are times when I feel bad that I have to say to Chiara, no we can't do horse riding or to Naomi, it's just not possible for you to do ballet lessons.  I would love to travel the world as I know that there is so much out there for them to learn.  But do you really need money in life to give a child what a child needs?

I think not.  Ok, we can't do horse riding lessons, we can't do music classes, we can't do ballet classes, we can't buy them everything they want when they demand it.  But what I can give them is instruments and books to practice, pony rides at the park, a very rare trip to the Zoo (it costs getting close to £100 for our family to get in), to the museums, books full of adventures about faraway lands to inspire them, dance classes that don't cost the earth - then perhaps one day one of them may get sponsored?  I can give them love and a safe place to learn, a place where they are not restricted by time an adventure of discovery.  I can give them my time, my cuddles, my love and play.

That is the amazing thing about home education.  There is not one single way of doing it.  I know of home educators who have their children going to every class their child desires - what amazing opportunities that gives to a child!  I know others that are travelling the world and blogging about it too which is amazing!  I know families who take their children for days out many days of the week all year round and I find their adventures very exciting.  There are other home educators who spend most of their time socialising, and some who hide themselves away.  Some who are rich and some who are poor some in the middle of that.  I know of famous people who were home educated and famous people who are home educating their own. 

We all do it differently and to be honest, if we were to have them in school, yes I may be able to afford the music, horse riding and ballet, but I would hardly have any time of my own to give to them.  I would not be able to ensure they have that safe place to learn, that they are learning in their own ways, without restriction.  I may not be well off but I can still give my children a vast array of knowledge from the world around them; one I believe is  better than a school, even one with all the best intentions, as my class of four is much less than there classes of 30+.  Everyday there is a smile on my children faces and everyday they learn something new that thrills them.  It is not how much money we spend in this world but how much time we spend with our children that really counts.  There are many different types of childhood.  One is not better than another just different.  I think I have convinced myself now!