School chaos

Well, it's September, which means we are full on into the new school year. That's about as chaotic as you might imagine (with the getting up early and having homework to do again), but that's not the chaos I'm really experiencing right now.

Here's the "problem": the school that the girls currently attend is a pre-prep school, which means (for those of you watching from the States) it only runs from Reception through Year 2. Devil has just started Year 2. And since it now seems kind of likely that we may be here a bit longer then originally anticipated, it's come to my attention that perhaps I'd better start thinking about where she might go for school next year.

In my experience, the British are a bit tightly wound when it comes to where they send their children to school. And by a bit tightly wound, I point you to a timeless quote from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" referencing coal and diamonds as an accurate description. This may be more prevalent amongst parents whose children attend private schools, but as early as last fall, I was hearing discussion about what schools people were considering for Year 3.

Now, as the product of the American public school system, I am completely out of the loop when it comes to "appropriate" schools for the girls. Most of the names of the super high powered ones I hear tossed around are boys-only, which makes me both relieved and irritated at the same time. Relived in that we don't need to even both considering them and irritated that there don't seem to be any comparable schools for girls that get talked up. Anyway...

We have only a few requirements for the next school: coed, accessible by public transportation (or school bus service), not an academic pressure cooker. Devil is a bright kid, but she's also a bit of an orchid in that she hates hates hates being wrong. She does not need to be in a situation where she is going to struggle or be at the bottom of her class. She also doesn't need to be put in a situation where she has to undergo a serious, intense testing process to get in to a school - my prediciton is that she would completely lose her shit in that sort of a scenario, and that wouldn't be good at all. So we're looking for a school that is good academically but not at the expense of everything else.

I've been to visit two so far: one that was ok, and one that I really liked alot. But it is a bit like stepping into Hogwarts - there are school houses, and house points and prefects! I was used to the uniform idea already, but the idea of prefects has taken the culture shock to a whole new level. I had to keep myself from giggling out loud everytime I glimpsed my (lovely, polite, personable, 12-year old boy!) tour guide's prefect badge yesterday. The giggle factor was further enhanced by his being American...

Two or three more school visits in the next few weeks, then the preregistering and assessments and other stuff can begin. That plus the amount of work that Year 2 is getting piled on them is going to make for a crazy autumn term! But hopefully we'll come out on the other side with a kid ready to go off to Year 3 in a place she loves. Ideally with a mother who has not gone completely around the bend as well. But that might be too much to ask!

Easter

The girls have been on Easter/Spring holidays for the last two and a half weeks, and they don't go back to school for another week and a half. This has been death on my work schedule (what work?), but has been amazing in terms of spending time with them. We've had a bunch of expeditions: the first week we braved the rain and cold temperatures to go to a farm with friends T and M (4.5 yrs and 20 months respectively), who we met our first day here. The girls had great fun feeding the animals (sheep, goats, horses), ooohing and aaaahing at the baby lambs, and playing on the playground. We even managed to time it so we left just as the skies were opening up in a true downpour.

The following weekend was Easter weekend, and it was very busy. First up was the Easter Egg Hunt, 2010 version, with M and T again.

We kicked everyone out early so we could hop on the train and go to watch the Boat Race at Barnes Bridge. There were lots of people,

and tasty adult beverages.

I got all nostalgic about rowing,

while Devil decided she could do without the cheering,

and Boo sprawled full length in a mud puddle.

This past week, the weather has taken a turn for the absolutely divine, so we've been spending lots of time outside. We went to Leeds Castle (home of the famous albino peacock) again,

and spent another day at the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, a girl favorite.

To round off the week, yesterday we went to the Zoo in Battersea Park. We didn't do much of anything with the animals, but the playground was very popular. As was ice cream!

We've got one more full week of holiday left, and then a couple of days, and I'm beginning to think I'll actually make it through in one piece! Plans for the upcoming week include at least one more visit out of town if the weather stays good, and maybe some museums if it gets crappy goes back to normal. It's funny watching all the Brits come out from under cover, kind of like mushrooms popping up in the lawn, as soon as the sun comes out. And then I realize that we were all wearing shorts yesterday, so I guess we're in the same boat!