Last week I mentioned that we had a kind of crappy introduction to a new (new to us) homeschooling playgroup. We returned this week on Tuesday and had a much better time of it. I took my Dear Other Half for reinforcement 
Elijah did have a chaperon practically the whole time — the “church lady” (who turns out to actually be really nice). A lot of the kids don’t like to just sit and be engrossed in one thing for too long, so they run off to do something else. This isn’t a big thing in the grand scheme of things, but for E, it is pure hell. He gets pissed and fed up with trying to keep up. What can I say, I’ve got a child who likes to immerse himself in long lasting really deep play.
William talking to T.; Elijah eating a grape
Group of younger boys & E hanging out
Hula hooping
The chase to keep up is on...
It went better than last week and I don’t believe anyone was hit or accused of hitting…but then while we were present, there wasn’t a game of hockey going on. It’s not that I find an importance in exposing my child to groups of this nature, he wants to (yet has the hardest time in these settings). I like it too (and I have to be the most anti-social/group person I know) and would go without him to visit with other home/unschooling parents, but a lot of people don’t take too kindly to adults showing up to playgroups without their children — like it’s a “red-flag” or something. Really, people…my presence may conjure up a “red-flag” for certain things (shit. she’s uber liberal, has used drugs, is for legal prostitution and has a less than pristine vocabulary…and what is with the no shaving thing?), but I mean really, do I look or act like someone who might be hanging around playgroups to scope out kiddies to snatch up or to exploit in one manner or another?
People can be so barbarous, but a Person can be so brilliant & cultured.
Elijah did have me ask Gretta (the “church lady”, whom I will try and not refer to as such from now on, because it might seem a little insulting at this point) whether or not we were allowed to come to the church grounds for a basket lunch on a day other than Tuesday. He really, really likes the grounds at the church (as do I) and wants to experience running around them without the pressure of feeling like he *has to* be social with strange (as in ‘unknown’) children. Gretta was very gracious and welcomed us to have a basket lunch.
We’ll see you you next week…I think 
