From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Well, I have to say, I am amazed at the weather here.  It has been 'dull and cold' for much of the day, but we did get some sunshine, and it didn't rain.  The breeze only picked up at about lunchtime, and was only gently shifting the clothes on the line, no 'flapping' was going on.  But I just got the clothes in about 30 minutes ago, and they are pretty much 'dry'.  OK, so probably not 'bone-dry enough to put away, this minute', but I couldn't feel any overt dampness - with the exception of a waistband of some joggers.  So it's all gone on the airers, and will sit in front of the radiator overnight.  It is certainly dry enough to not warrant the dehu.  

I have to send up thanks to the laundry lords, the weather wizards and dame dolly blue for looking out for our clothes, as everything has dried so much better than I anticipated.  I didn't expect it to do so well, as it's been so cold - single figure temperatures all day.  

Apparently 2 of the kiddos did yesterday's additional homework.  Two 😡  I shall definitely be asking 'why' next time summat 'extra' comes home.  And yes, the 2 kiddos are from 'educationally engaged' families, so where's the actual gain?  Perhaps there was a timeframe of longer than 'overnight' given - but I've not seen any written  instructions or guidance, so......

Tea will be plant-based balls, tommie sauce and pasta.  We've not had that combo in a while.

Greying X

Moneywhizz

As LotsofTea says research has shown that there is little benefit of homework for young children. If the school wants to provide resources/ideas for parents that is their choice but others can choose not to engage in it. it sounds like LG has plenty of experiences that are much more useful and enjoyable than school set homework. I would pick and choose what you think is valuable and disregard the rest. The best way a child can continue their learning at home is  to read for enjoyment and be out in nature as much as possible.  I'd say you deserve a gold star for both of these. 

badmemory

I wonder if the homework is being set in the hopes of keeping them off certain sites that frankly are not very healthy for young children.

edinburgher

If the families are "educationally engaged", the unkind person in me wonders if it's an element of competitiveness and perfectionism? 

Greying_Pilgrim

edinburgher said:

If the families are "educationally engaged", the unkind person in me wonders if it's an element of competitiveness and perfectionism? 

Ha ha - we were one of the familes ed 😳 There was only us and one other family who's kiddos did the work😳  We did it because it had been sent out and although there was no directions, I thought that there was a reason for it.  The other family are along the same lines, I would put us as 'rule followers' rather than 'Tiger Moms' 😁  I use the term 'educationally engaged' to mean, we turn up to parents evening, we try to send our kids to school with the right clothes/uniform/equipment, we ask questions about their day, we try to 'be there' when kiddo is doing homework etc.  Is that the right definition?  Or does educationally engaged mean something else?  LG isn't top of the class for all subjects (neither are they bottom).  We just want them to be happy at school, and be their best.  12 years of compulsory schooling is a loooooonnnnggg time, we want them to enjoy as much as they can.

From our perspective, we weren't doing it to be 'top dog' - we thought as it had been assigned, there was a 'reason' for it.  Clearly there wasn't 😟Although in the teacher's defence, they did at least mark and make written comment on the homework submitted, it really riles me when it is set/expected and the teacher doesn't look at the pupil's efforts.  That has happened consistently with the 'Reading Diaries' in the lower stages of the school - and then the school wonder why no one reads at home 🙄

badmemory - if that is the rationale behind it, then it isn't working.  Whilst schools have to deal with the fall out of excessive console time, I'm not sure it's their place to manipulate behaviour in the home. Tons of homework won't usurp the excitement of playing computer games.

Thank you Moneywhizz - I do think "education" (in its broadest sense) happens everywhere, and not just in a classroom.  To a certain extent, I am the problem - I need to say "no" more.  Although I am guilty of thinking there was a reason for this 'extra' homework this week, in line with things that have been going on, stage in the academic year/year group etc etc.  We had a TA who was extremely negative at one point about 'out of school achievements' (not that they were academic themselves, and not that they championed the 3 R's either!), and their attitude has left a bit of a stain on our memory, making us reluctant to report 'out of school experiences'.  But that TA has left now, so there is no reason for us to feel 'less than' about after school activities or weekend accomplishments.  

Hope the sun is shining with you.  I've a works wash on and I'm hopeful to peg out just now.  Had a bit of a lie in, as I was awake in the early hours 🙄The moon shone lovely into the bedroom for hours - typical that it was cloudy yesterday morning for the eclipse.  

I probably will stay out of the shops today.  I do need some wraps, but we won't be having a buffet for tea, so no rush to get them.  

DH is busy at work today, doing something that actually helps Family Greying, so we're staying at the homestead.  No complaints.

Right, I best shuffle orf - thanks for popping by.  Got "Eye of the (geriatric) Tiger (mom)" as an ear-worm now.... 🤣

Very much pulling own leg, Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MFW'rs

I walked to the retail park to get a few bits from hB.  Glad I did, as got some steps in and the roads/car parks were heaving.  

I spent more money than I intended, but stocked up on several bits as they had them in stock.  £12.12 spent and siggie updated already.

Tea last night was swede and lentil  jungle curry and rice and an icecream for pud.  Tea this evening will be wraps, using the not lamb kebab thingies from MrS.  

Yesterday's washing dried overnight and has been put away.  I am up to date with workwear and schoolwear.  No washing set out today, it's cloudy and still, so I'm not sure it would dry that well anyway.  

Lunch yesterday was soup - mixed veg, bean and pasta.  I cooked the veg in stock in the PC and then blitzed it, and then added in the (borlotti) beans and the (cooked) pasta.  In hindsight,  I should have just stuck with a version of 'cream of vegetable' as that was good on its own - the beans didn't add anything, although the pasta was LG's cup of tea.    

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Lunch done.  Made a similar vegetable soup base to yesterday in the PC, but added a tin of tomatoes today.  Blitzed and then added in a lump of cream cheese to melt and some more cooked pasta.  Dried basil and parsley finished off.  Actually, it turned out ok, and tasted far more luxurious than the sum of its parts, although I did use a couple of red onions (PoTW) in the base.  Smaller portions today, but still an economic eat.

I forgot to add that on Friday night, when we had the plant balls, tommie sauce and pasta, I also used the 2 broccoli heads that had been in the MrS box.  I'm glad I did, as although they looked fine ie they were still comparatively green, when they cooked, they did take on a brown hue.  I managed to divvy it all up, so that LG had the greener florets (the smaller head was 'less fresh' out of the 2), and DH and I had the unattractive florets - which meant it all got eaten.  The stalks - trimmed - went into yesterday's soup.   

Birds spotted in the garden were a couple of wrens this morning - I suspect they were hunting for a nest site.  I don't know if the size relates to gender, but the one wren was t.i.n.y. - I know they are small birds anyway, but this was nowt but a feather pom-pom.  Then a goldcrest briefly came into the garden.  It flew from a tree and landed on the washing line - thank goodness I didn't have a wash out - and as I was processing that it was green in colour and.... what was it...... it looked down, and i saw the 'flash' of the crest, before it flitted onto the fence and then dropped down into next doors garden.  So blessed to see such tiny, shy birds, relatively close.  

Only YS'd bargain today was some wholemeal baps, reduced down to 35p.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

I listened to a new YT'er this afternoon - I reckon Ali of Stirling is an MSE'r  😁  Either past or present 😁  She was sharing her delight in getting a MrL green box - she's done several videos of buying a box and what she does with the contents 😁 I did laugh though, her latest box was explored, and the last thing to be brought out, was....... a trio of Kiwi fruit!  Tbf, I think Ali likes them, so no waste on her watch.  I have to say, between the well organised food waste diversion/community pantry scheme and the MrL boxes, I think we need to consider our next home to be in Stirling!  😁 (They have a MrW too 😁)

Our own tea owed a lot to the contents of the MrS box from Thursday 😁 

Plus I used some of the MrS 'no lamb kebab' thingies.  Mmmmm, dear MrS, if you are selling plant based 'sausages', why not just call them 'sausages'?  The flavouring was (I think) Merguez, and they were very nice (very different for a vegan/vegetarian offering), but if they have been discontinued, I have to say, the fact that you only got 4 'sausages' for the rrp of £2.25, may be why they weren't flying off the shelves....... 

I grated and squeezed the half a cucumber from the box and made a version of tzatziki.  I managed to save about a third of the iceberg lettuce that was in the box and shredded that up.  I grated some carrot and sliced up the 6 yellow cherry tomatoes that came in the box, as well as slicing up the 6 'sausages' I cooked.  There are 6 of these 'sausages' left.  We used wholemeal wraps and made our own wraps up 'buffet style' - which of course ticked all the boxes for LG 😁

Pudding was apple crumble, using the 3 bashed apples from the MrS box.  They were labelled as British Braeburn, and they were quite big.  We had the apple crumble with yoghurt.  

I think there is a very small savoy cabbage (which will need further trimming), a small cauli, a large lemon and a aubergine left out of the box.  

I'm wondering what - if anything - I can do this month, to facilitate another 'lean' month, in terms of grocery spending in a future month.  I'm currently thinking about doing it for May.  April is possibly too soon, as I won't have many (if any) vouchers like I was able to use in February.  I'm going to give it some consideration anyway.  

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

kayannie

I've more or less given up on getting a Lidl green box. There was one there last week - full of lemons & nothing else! 
No chance of a box from Sainsbury's either, the nearest store is about 60 miles away.
KA

Greying_Pilgrim

kayannie - the MrS boxes are more miss than hit - even when they are there, at our local store.  How is your husband doing?  Recovering well I hope?

Greying X