Socialisation

It was our home education meeting this afternoon; The new extra one for older children where they play games.

Ram was very keen to go, but it was as if he didn't understand how long it was until we could leave. He decided he wanted to wear the orange over suit and hat, and spent a good proportion of the morning in that waiting, even though I told him that we wouldn't be going until after lunch. In the end he sat in one of the dog's beds with me reading our current Discworld book aloud to him.

Finally after lunch we set out. When we got there we found that there was a problem. The carpet was being replaced in the main hall of the church and we wouldn't be able to get for about an hour. As the weather wasn't very good we were not sure what we could do. There were only two other boys there at the time, so they went off with Ram into the woods to their secret den, while the other mum and I had a think. Then a third family came, and those boys too disappeared into the woods. Sometimes I think that it is much better to just let them find their own way than to have something organised!

Then someone from the church arrived and said that we could use the flat upstairs. We didn't even know about this flat! It had a nice cosy sitting room, which was just right for the games. We called the boys back from the woods and they went up to set up the game Necromunder. (I was going to try and link to a website that explains what Mecromunder is but I can't find one!) The sitting room had just enough comfortable chairs and sofas for the five boys that decided to play, as well as the perfect coffee table for playing on!

Ram was so settled that I left him to it, and sat in the corridor making stickle brick models with one of the other mothers – oh, and the younger boys as well! Ram is very close to me and often feels the need to hold my hand, so when he is happy I try to distance myself from him to give him a little independence while still being close enough that he can get to me if he needs me.

A couple of times he did come out and check that I was still there, but he played the game to the end with the others. I think that because he now knows these boys so well, and they were in a small quiet room, Ram really enjoyed himself. This is how socialisation should be, not in a room with 30 other children, but with a small number of children of all different ages.

Afterwards, they decided to go downstairs and christen the new carpet. The hall was completely empty, and a game of British Bulldog started, while the mums stood outside discussing future meetings. Eventually a couple of them came out to get the mums involved. They managed to talk me into coming in and playing with them!

It was actually great fun. I had to start on my own to catch all the rest of them, them being eight boys ranging in age from three to 14! Eventually all of them were caught bar the 14 year old. In fact the other mums came in to help and they couldn't catch him either!

And that is another example of true socialisation. A social event where adults and children of all ages are of equal standing, enjoying each other's company.