Time to get down!So , at the beginning of the year I thought it a great idea to explore the world of opportunities there are out there regarding 'kids clubs'. Having children and living in London , it's a fact that you can't just open your front door and let your child out and they'll be safe. I'm not talking about in the garden or in the block , I mean actually out of your area.
Being originally from Yorkshire , I have been blessed with the ability to grow up in complete suburbia. I'm talking running through green fields, horse riding, fresh apples from the local apple orchard, growing food at the allotment, everybody knows your name, playing in the river and completely surrounded my nature.
Of course I completely took it for granted and used to spend my time wondering what was over those big hills, as far as the eye could see?
Well some years later , my curiosity was satisfied and I found out . I have learnt of course that the grass isn't always greener because grass is grass wherever you go. But there will never be nowhere like home ....
Especially when you go back to visit and you sit and watch in horror as your child points out cows , sheep and horses as if they were in fact aliens from another planet .
The great thing about London though, is that you really can find lots to do and every type of children's class where even the most rarest of children can be entertained.
From kumon to Karate and from Zumba to the zoo.
You can even checkout your local school' summer fair Literally anything you like.
Even though I teach Move It Kids! Sessions myself (dance, drama and Pilates for kids), my little one is so over me teaching her. Whoever said don't work with kids and animals got it wrong. It should actually be 'never bring your child to work'.
And so Like a kid in a candy shop, I jumped right in and within about a couple of weeks had tried every taster session going . The problem was - my 5 year old loved them all.
So after about several months of daily 'stimulation' it started to dawn on me that my daughter didn't really want to do half of them .It was also evident that the ones she enjoyed we're the ones with her friends in or that involved playing games (understandably, she is 5 years old)
I came to my senses at the end of last term and dropped those classes at the drop of a hat .
When I went to collect my little one after school, she looked at me with fear and trepidation and asked 'What do we have now mummy ??'. With a big smile I said - nothing and she honestly gave a tiny sigh of relief, followed quickly by a 'can we go to the park ?'
So off we went and for almost 2 hours of fun . We had the best down time we had had in ages.I realised as I relaxed on a bench watching her run and play with her friends, it might not be a scene out of the Walton's, but home is where the heart is.
We can fill our children with activities and unfortunately over stimulate them when the reality is that mostly, after a long day at school/nursery, they are content just hanging out with us .
