Description
Ben is Muddypaws' best friend, but when Ben goes to school, Muddypaws has to stay at home. Then one day, Ben takes Muddypaws to school too - puppy school! There he meets two new friends...
It's a lovely story about making new friends and also about keeping you old friends too. Ideal for a toddler or small child who is transitioning between nursery or preschool, or even moving house.
We loved this book and hope you will too.
Muddypaws' New Friends is available at Amazon
Disclaimer - We received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of this review
Muddypaws' New Friends is available at Amazon
Disclaimer - We received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of this review
Okay Emma, I am going to speak my mind now. You are feeling unsettled at the moment. In the last month since Christmas you've thought about moving to Peterborough, then decided against it, now you're talking about Australia. I think we all feel like this at times, particularly when the weather is shit and we think that life will be better elsewhere. I know you know Australia and you have wonderful memories and know it as your second home, but a. what you recall are the memories that you had when you were there then...whether you choose to go or not, remember, it is never going to be as you remembered it. You are a mum now, it will always be different. b. you will be taking bb a long way from your family and from dd. I'm not telling you how to do this lovely, because only you know, but I just want you to think hard about whether this is really the right thing at the moment? I think you 'may' find that you'd be just as irritated with the education system in Oz once you have a child in it, because you are actually looking at it from a completely different angle.
ReplyDeleteWith the fact you were looking to move to a place that understood your feelings on education more, have you looked at moving somewhere in the UK where there might be a decent Steiner or Montessori school. I'm not sure if there are any free schools yet that work from this vein. I suppose the downside is that these tend to be private, but if you were able to find a pocket in the UK where your cost of living would be lower, where you might not need a car or where house prices are cheaper, could you off set it. If you are prepared to move to Oz distance wise, would you be prepared to do that? Perhaps Stroud, which has a very community minded vibe, or even Wales? I know there are areas of the UK where there are better schools. Or, what about home educating him? Perhaps this isn't the way forward, but there could be the option of flexi schooling or finding a school that is particularly outdoors and has a lot of forest schooling flushed into the curriculum?
There are steiners in Hereford, Kings Langley, suffolk, norfolk, york, there's one not too far from me, but too far for me to travel on a daily basis, edinburgh of course...there are also many schools that follow the philosophy in lots of ways, keep looking and I think you'll find your little place for you and bb.
I know how you feel on many angles: I don't particularly like the UK state system and don't like that to seek alternative you have to pay (even though I do because it is the best way for us to find what works for the boys), I hate the weather in the winter and would happily emigrate and would LOVE to go back to the US, but I know that it wouldn't be the same. The kids are older now, the people who were there have moved on and the kids would be in a new education system. I'm sure, if you've read my blog, you know that I also seek that kind of hippy community that you seek and where I live now doesn't entirely enamour me, however.... I'm sure you've exhausted all your options with this, and maybe this is better mulled over with a pal and a glass of wine and some gluten free pizza if you fancy it sometime soon???
I'm not going to belittle how you feel by saying you'll feel better when the sun comes out more, but it does help a bit. Hope the repairs are going okay, that's all such an arse for you. We were lucky this time, just lost a bit of a tree, but no structural repairs or flooding this year, fingers crossed for years to come. We have got some damp to repair, but didn't acutally come through the house! Love to you my friend xxxxxxxx
Bugger, so my evil plan to keep you here...no, read, move you closer to me has been foiled. Well, I will miss you!!!
ReplyDeleteI could do a Friday perhaps 21st March or 4th April and stay with my folks if that works maybe? Otherwise, I might try to get over during Easter hols with the kids, so can stay with mum and dad and we could have a night out and I could provide a great babysitter ;-) xx LMK
Well, Alice springs is a great place to visit and you are already invited. It's not permanent either. I am not yet convinced that there is a school I approve of (ha ha) for the years beyond 11 and so the search would then resume. If not sooner. Plus we are here for at least another year!
ReplyDeleteEaster might me a good bet. We are happy to come to you too though! X