Lockdown 2.0

Milla still enthusiastic to get into uniform, get to her desk in the morning. We have some projects in mind, letters to write.  

We start the next lockdown. We had a routine, we go back to it. We are now mid-winter but there's blossoms on the morning walk (feijoa were Lockdown 1.0).

41 days of lockdown

Milla at five years and ten months. School at home enters its fourth week.

Her favourite boat at Williamstown Marina, 'Lo-La'

Obsessed with reading, writing, spelling. This happened so fast.
Becomes intensely interested in science things: hurricanes, beavers, and spouts factoids.
Long bike rides, up to 2 hours, 18 kms today.
Seems to balance being social and solitary. Content in either.

Start of school and the virus comes

The start of school. Feeling optimistic and full hearted and grateful.

Then the virus in China. International education collapsing. Everyone rallying for China.
Went to physio and talked about how the Olympics might be cancelled. Went to Prep new families picnic and shaking hands was becoming unfashionable.

Then I read this article on Medium and didn't want to go into the office on Friday 13 March. I did, and told my staff that it would be the last day. After work I went to the supermarket to stock up and realised that would be the last time. Swimming lesson the next day, realised it would be the last. Stopped get public transport to work, started riding. Taking Milla to school was the only outing, felt ridiculous.

We wished for a decision, for school to close. And then it did. Homeschool started. Charlie drew up a program so we could balance our work and the Milla supervision. She lapped up the learning.

Term two is starting, remotely, with us parents supervising the learning. A different feel indeed.

Our new habits will hopefully run through: morning walks all together; cooked lunches; home yoga and rides in the middle of the day; Skype sessions with grandma.

End of kindergarten

End of kinder. End of an era.

Milla feeling emotional at drop off to RMIT childcare today. It's been 4.5 years of her life for most days of the week. She runs the place.

Tomorrow last day of her other kinder, the one we have loved, that has challenged and delighted us all.

Milla at the end of kinder.

• Loves to climb trees, be physical, dance. Runs everywhere. 
• Is full of joy, and swings of emotion. 
• Draws all day and loves to learn reading. 
• Monitors all the comings and goings. 
• Has some girl 'frenemies' that she feuds with and loves in a boring cycle. 
• Is tall, getting leaner, and finally rides without training wheels.  
• Gets up from her mezzanine bed and takes herself to the toilet in the middle of the night.