Realising that learning takes place all the time is one of the mindset changes you learn to make as a home schooling parent. Our children learn while they're doing the shopping with us, while they go on mountain walks, while they set the table for supper time and even when they go to parties!
At a recent birthday party we attended we were entertained and taught all about snakes by Sean the Snake Man. A while back Jenna had seen a picture of one of her friends with a snake around her neck. Ever since then she has wanted to do that too. Seeing as mommy was dragging her feet in taking her to the snake park she was very excited to hear she'd have to wait no longer when we were invited to a snake theme party!
Now if you're squeamish about snakes (like me) be warned there are pictures here that may just make you sssssshhhhiver.......
This is the Cape Cobra. When Sean took the Cobra out I was wondering if I'd heard him correctly. I've only seen pictures of cobras with their hoods flared out. Where was this one's? Well, not only our kids learn everyday, but so do we! The typical Cobra picture you see in a book is of a cobra giving you a warning: Don't come near! If they're relaxed and happy, there's no hood! It's a good thing I know this now as just the other day our neighbour found one in her garden and had to call the Snake Park to come and remove it!
This is the Black Boomslang (Tree Snake-literal translation)-apparently one of the most venomous snakes around. She likes to tie herself into knots, this is meant to help her hold onto branches when she is in a tree.
At first Sean tried to convince us that this rather large snake was also harmful to us, but then he let us know that in fact she is just a young mole snake. Now if she's a young mole snake just how big does an adult mole snake grow to?! And yes, we have found these in our garden too! Or rather, I should say our cats have found them.
Do you recognise this stripey fella? I mean the colourful one by the way! Yip, that's my little man who jumped right up and volunteered himself as the first candidate to hold a snake. Guess that's what you get when your mommy keeps on insisting "You're the Bravest Little Man I Know!" Sorry I have to admit I didn't get the snake's name-too busy reeling at the shock of my little man about to hold a snake! :-) Perhaps one of you know?
And if that was a little too squeamish for you, just take a look at this little lady's necklaces!
And she just stood there and giggled gleefully! The innocence of youth!!
We've been reading through the Creation Story in Genesis again and we'd recently read about how God says to the snake: You'll crawl on your belly from now on. Well this got me thinking why did He say that? I think I got my answer: This creature looks like a snake.....or is it a lizard? She has snake like features, but she has legs! Sean said that she was (scientific) proof that once upon a time, long, long ago snakes had legs. This reminded me of what we'd read and I'm wondering if that is why God said that snakes would forever more have to crawl on their bellies? Perhaps they all really did have legs long ago. {Sorry I missed her name too-my only excuse is I wasn't standing near enough. Reptiles creep me out!}
And then it was our friend James' turn to be brave! Here he is with an iguana on his back!
Everybody (including Jenna) feeling his scaly skin.
After that it was time to get the really loooooooong snake out. He had everyone stand in a line.
With arms outstretched, waiting patiently for ........
Monty, the Python! Look at him! He's so long and fat!
And this is where I decided to get brave.... I knew I had to overcome my fears...... so I stepped a little closer..... reached out....... and touched him! And it actually wasn't too bad. He felt warm, soft and smooth. Nothing like I had imagined. See, I can be brave too......
But not this brave! (So proud of himself!)
And definitely not brave enough to actually look at him when he's in my hands!
Probably a little more uncertain like Rachie-but even she is braver than me!!!
If I am to be perfectly honest though, I preferred to look at the beautiful view!
In the end a wonderful time was had by all! Jenna had a dream come true, mom overcame her fear (even if it was just a little step) and the birthday boy had an awesome party filled with lots of fun and learning too!
What a great post and pics! (and great job overcoming your fears :) I can understand - I don't have a problem with snakes, probably because we have very few poisonous ones here, but I hate giant bugs. My girls will go to the zoo and let the hissing cockroaches or giant millipedes walk all over their hands and I won't even touch them, just hover around and get ready to jump away if they drop one! oh, what a gorgeous view!
ReplyDeleteChristy, I think hissing cockroaches may just make me hover too!
ReplyDeleteOh my! How brave you are! One of my twins loves snakes and I guess I will overcome my fears too if an opportunity like you had comes along. The view is breathtaking! Many blessings.
ReplyDeleteWow! That looks soooo exciting! My Mathys would have just loved to be there!
ReplyDeleteI always think of your children when I write about creatures Sonja! Thought one of them would love snakes! :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki, looks like a fantastic party, I have actually seen that exact show, same guy, same snakes, he's very good. I just wanted to point out, and I don't want this to come accross in the wrong way but it's not the first time I've heard homeschoolers make reference to the fact that their children learn during everyday life so I just wanted to mention very kindly that so do schoolgoing children! They too learn while shopping or strolling around Kirstenbosch or whatever, learning doesn't stop once they step out of the classroom. Many, many things are learn't "on the fly" or through everyday life and living, some things are just not like that for instance reading, I'm pretty sure that a homeschooled child would not learn to read just by everyday life unless someone - in their case most likely the mother sat down and taught them, it's just taking place in a different environment from a schoolgoing child. I do get that homeschooling is a mindset shift for many people and it's wonderful to have the freedom that homeschooling so often allows but I often feel "insulted" when it is ensinuated that "schooled" children don't learn anything from their parents! I'm pretty sure that this was not your intention but I felt that I wanted to bring it to the attention of any homeschoolers who may visit here that it is often how it comes accross. I hope this hasn't sounded rude or critical, I'm not intending for it to be so, I love reading your blog every now and then and like with other blogs by homeschoolers I often learn ways to integrate "learnt" things into everyday life where I might otherwise be impatient or too pre-occupied to think of it.
ReplyDeleteHope you are all over your illnesses and enjoying the sunshine:-)