THE WOODIES

A couple of weeks ago we watched a series on TV about our planet and global warming, climate change etc. I had tried to explain to the children about this, but without being able to physically see carbon emissions etc it was hard for them to grasp. So, this programe made by the BBC with David Attenborough was such a brilliant visual aid in showing them what has already happened to the earth and what they predict will happen in the next 50 years. This is the 50 years of S & O's generation, it is them who will be affected and I was stunned at how much they were impacted by watching this. While I was constantly reminding them to turn off the lights when we weren't in the room and turn the TV off, not just leaving it on standby etc. Now, they are reminding me! They are wanting to recycle everything. It is so amazing to see my little 6 year old, so passionate and so keen to make a difference!

So, last weekend someone mentioned Woodcraft Folk, I'd never heard of it and thought it sounded nice. Then on Tuesday one of the Mums at school was saying she is running one of the evenings and then she told me how another friend from school actually organizes the whole group in Hounslow. So, on Thursday evening we went and the boys loved it, singing, games, crafts etc. Some things happen for a reason. This weekend was there weekend camp for the term! Staying at Pheasant Lodge, a big old medieval house with big gardens - There were 13 parents and 12 children. Oscar and I joined them, enrolling another family from school with similar interests, fresh from the land down under and wanting to mix in the community. It was such a lovely weekend, such a mix of people. Some vegan / home schoolers / university lecturers / capitalists and almost all social workers. The emphasis of course being on the children, the organization is designed to develop self-confidence and activity in society, with the aim of building a world based on equality, peace, social justice and co-operation. It was so nice to meet new people and see how they operate with their children and what they are up to in life. O had a brilliant time, making new friends etc. We went for a nice walk and the whole weekend was at the pace of the children, very relaxed and not structured (unlike what I normally do). So, it was really nice to experience this this week. I also had an experience at the complete other end of the spectrum with the mums from viola, preparing their kids for Eton and Oxbridge etc. It has really made me think about what I want for my kids, what opportunities I want to give them etc. More later. In the meantime, we are excited to have found a group of children who equally care for our earth and want to learn about what is going on outside our small local community, to learn how we can make a difference and to have a really lovely time while doing it. Joy!

This is a quote from the BBC from much respected David Attenborough:
"Now... when we look at the graphs of rising ocean temperatures, rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and so on, we know that they are climbing far more steeply than can be accounted for by the natural oscillation of the weather."
Sir David, whose distinguished broadcasting career spans more than half a century, says everyone has a responsibility to act: "What people (must) do is to change their behaviour and their attitudes.
"If we do care about our grandchildren then we have to do something, and we have to demand that our governments do something.