#TheGallery - Celebrating Home Education

It's been a while since I joined in with the Gallery, which is a shame as I love the concept but such as life...  you know how busy things are sometimes and there just always seems to be something that just needs to go on the blog at the moment!  Yesterday I saw the Gallery theme was education and wondered what on earth I would post.  Tara said in a tweet that she was hoping for lots of old school photos but the more I thought about that the more wrong it felt.  When I was school, it was all about being with my mates and having a laugh.  I had no real interest in education to be honest, the amount of time that I spent in the isolation unit (yes really!  I liked to chat, can you believe that?) was unreal.

So again I thought about the word education and that did definitely fit more with doing my HND, degree and then Masters, so I have many great graduation pictures that I could put on here but I have to be honest again and say that my formal education has not really done a lot for me in life.  I believe that if you want to be a lawyer, accountant or work in another formal profession then going to Uni and getting your degree is the right thing to do but if you want to work in a vocation then don't bother unless you have the money to spare!

The best education I have had has been from my life experiences, learning from my hard working and moral parents or working way way up the ranks at work, happy to take on the crappy jobs when needed to earn the respect of my staff.  I was always the hotel manager who would wash the pots when needed. I am now the HR Team Leader who will do some filing, archiving or make the tea.  I have no problem with status, I know who I am and what I can do.  There is nothing I need to prove by not mucking in.

So the photo I have picked for this gallery is one taken just yesterday and it is Little Miss Chickenpox (also known as Miss M) having a nap with one of her teddies as they are poorly. By just being me I have taught my daughter (without meaning to) that when someone is upset and poorly you sooth them however you can.  Whilst Miss M was very poorly Sunday night she laid on top of me and I stroked her hair and sshhed her.  It was not too comfy for me but it seemed to be the only way she stopped crying and was happy for a while. So today, she explained to me that Ted would not stop crying and he better lie on her tum tum where it was all soft (that will be my flab!) and she could give him a cuddle and make it all better. Proud did not even come close.

I think this kind of natural and intrinsic teaching and learning is marvellous and this is what home educators really excel at.  I have a couple of real life friends and some bloggy ones who do Home Ed and I have such respect for them as I can not even imagine how hard it must be but I also see that if you keep your eyes open and spot the little things it could be overwhelmingly rewarding too.

What a great piece of education for me today! 

Here are a couple more pics of Miss M with her poorly teddies.