Skip to main content

Smithlets & Co

We've had many comments over the years about how close we are as a family & how respectful we are of each other. It's also been suggested to us that we write a book about how we've raised our kids, but the problem with that is - we have no idea what we have done that's so different to other families...

Sal is our eldest, born in a hospital in Cheshire (because the consultant insisted I was too young to have a home birth), but she was at the home births of her siblings! She's a life vegetarian, was home educated from 11 - 17, is very independent, motivated & organised, gets stroppy when she's hungry, left home when she was 19 (to live with her boyfriend), takes great photographs, likes growing vegetables & wears colourful clothes.

Rose is our second born, arrived at home to the tune of "Happy Birthday" (which her big sis loved)! She was at the birth of her brother & is also a life veggie, home educated from 9 - 17, she's a thinker, quiet & creative, has always loved to doodle (especially on books, walls & tables)! She's not keen on hard work & would probably prefer to spend her days lounging in her hammock! Sometimes she gets the giggles at inappropriate times, but just can't stop & once had laughing gas at a festival. She is an amazing artist & likes to wear black.

Hugo is our youngest, he was born at home with his family around him. He was vegan for his first 3 years & still has a slight dairy intolerance, but says that pizza & ice cream are worth suffering for! He has never been to school, didn't read until he was 8 (but now reads books like "The Da Vinci Code"), he is a self taught computer whizz, hates alcohol, stays up late most nights & rarely gets up before midday. He loves cats & veggie fry-ups, always beats his parents at scrabble & doesn't care what he wears.  
  
Our buddies. Now...



... & then.



Sal is the elder & lives with Ryan.

Rose is the middler, she & Asa live with us.

Hugo, the not so tiddler.



The furries, Flea (aka Floobs) & Remus Lupin (aka Loopski)



Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
What a great looking crew you have there. I think the biggest mistake parents make is to not let their kids be who they are. They are lumped together and there is no individuality.
15 December 2010 at 18:45
Just Humans Being said…
Hi Mel,
Thanks for that!
You are right. We love that our kids have the confidence to be themselves & we are behind them every step of the way...
Kay
18 December 2010 at 10:06
Post a comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nettles

Our garden yesterday. Tall Nettles TALL nettles cover up, as they have done These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough Long worn out, and the roller made of stone: Only the elm butt tops the nettles now. This corner of the farmyard I like most: As well as any bloom upon a flower I like the dust on the nettles, never lost Except to prove the sweetness of a shower. ~ Edward Thomas ~ Every time we venture out to pick nettles, Sime always goes on about this poem! Anyway, thought I'd share with you the article I've written for next month's Parish Magazine... Our hedgerows are coming alive with food aplenty, but hardly anyone really notices the nettles that surround us, they grow quietly while using their juices to produce a medicine that can bring health. Anaemia, arthritis, rickets, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, colds, catarrh & lymphatic problems can all benefit from this wonderful wild & free super food. Nettles are ric
26 comments
Read more

Diet And Drugs

Some of you know about my fight with Graves Disease, an auto immune system disorder, which causes an overactive thyroid. Since I was diagnosed 7 years ago, I have made it my business to know everything I possibly could about the condition & this has probably saved my life. I have blood tests on a regular basis & in November last year, I was told that my T4 levels are normal & again in January the same.  My thyroid stimulating hormone was finally starting to work too, after 7 years of lying dormant, so I suggested I came off the anti thyroid drug & my GP's response was to continue for a while longer. A month ago, I rang my GP & suggested again that I come off the drug or at least halve it, as I was feeling so well  & was concerned about the drug pushing me into being under active. Again, she said to be patient & they would send for me when it's time for a blood test. I don't normally do as I'm told, but decided to stick with it a b
34 comments
Read more

Take Time

How often do you take time to be thoughtful and quiet? To breathe and be in nature? Do you start your day slowly, even when busy?  We like to spend our mornings gently waking - reading to each other, writing, sometimes singing, making breakfast and taking time to leisurely eat and digest our food before we begin our day. We choose to live in the slow lane, from where we observe others rushing through their days, often stressed and with a need to fill every moment doing what they consider to be meaningful.  We feel no guilt in being lazy and happily sit around chatting instead of doing what we loosely planned to do. You may think it's procrastination, but we prefer to think of it as "going with the flow". There is more to life than filling your days with stuff, working hard, keeping up with your neighbours and it's not until you get off that treadmill that you can see for yourself just how great life can be. Part of the process for us in slowing down
Post a comment
Read more