The ups and the downs

I know I posted this already, but look at how gorgeous this baby is...

Can't believe he is now a young man

Wee Chief Hakaluku

Even as a child Ghin always looked like a gangsta. I mean he doesn't look like a gangsta now - he looks like a 1930s Shanghai gentleman, especially when he is dressed like that. 

On Thursday evening he brought Matteo to meet me - the house was in a completely disheveled state. And I mean COMPLETELY. I hadn't hoovered for WEEKS and because I had been prepping for Forest School it was just a storm of mess. 

Well, I managed to clean it up yesterday and order has since been restored. So today - laundry and then cleaning up the garage. Saturday. I'm going for my run and sorting out my schedule for the coming week. It is soooo busy. So busy.

But good to be busy and yesterday I got two requests from people to do Forest School in Armagh and again in Helen's Bay... so that's all very exciting right?

I was really shocked at the level of disinterest with Forest Services and us holding Forest School at Glenarrif Forest Park. I guess it is so popular that they don't really have to care about facilitating a small organisation. Which reminds me that I have to sort out Woodlands Trust and Ballymena People's Park.

There is just so much you know... so much to get done.

We are getting a good reputation - so looking forward to it...

I can't believe it - four years ago my own Forest School was a small idea - bringing anthroposophy to another context was just a little flame and now... here it is. It is not pure unadulterated happiness, but it is as good as it gets. 

I get so tired though - after the sessions I just need to relax. But it is true - the experience which we bring to bear... 

I paid all our outstanding bills - the website was finally taken care of. Whew.

I asked ChatGPT to give me ten reasons why Forest School was good for children. Couldn't have said it better myself. I know this to be true myself having done this for 11 years. But thanks ChatGPT for summing it up... there r more than ten reasons of course.... 😁 but just wondered what it would come up with. Yes the prose is a bit dead and repetitive, but it's a good start. 

Benefits of Forest School.

Encourages a love of nature: Forest schools provide children with opportunities to learn about and explore the natural environment, helping them to develop a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Promotes physical activity: Forest schools offer a range of activities that get children moving, such as walking, climbing, and running, which are important for physical health and well-being.

Fosters creativity: Being in a natural environment inspires children's imaginations and encourages them to be creative in their play and exploration.

Builds resilience: Forest schools provide children with opportunities to take risks and overcome challenges, which helps to build their confidence and resilience.

Supports social and emotional development: Forest schools help children to develop their social and emotional skills, such as communication, empathy, and self-regulation, through group activities and free play.

Provides hands-on learning: Forest schools offer a unique learning environment where children can learn through hands-on, experiential activities, which can be more effective than traditional classroom-based learning.

Fosters a sense of community: Forest schools often involve working together in groups, which helps to create a sense of community and belonging.

Encourages problem-solving: Forest schools provide children with opportunities to solve problems and overcome challenges in a real-world context, which helps to develop their problem-solving skills.

Boosts academic performance: Forest schools have been shown to improve academic performance in areas such as literacy and numeracy, as well as overall cognitive development.

Supports mental health: Being in a natural environment has been shown to have a positive effect on mental health, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving mood and well-being.

I don't know why pple are so worried about ChatGPT. It really is quite amazing. For the true human tasks like writing a good poem or story it is pretty much useless but for everything else... I mean write an essay on the benefits and drawbacks of... the pros and cons... the whatever - if you have been through the process it is a good start, if you have not then it is the process. But this idea that it will 'steal jobs' is ludicrous. It is like saying photography will steal the job of artists. I think that artists will steal their own bloody jobs. Art has become so disconnected and rarefied that it it has done itself in.

Just because there is a greater mysterious force than we are does not mean that we are silly stupid beings. It is like saying oh right, nature will do us out of a job. Also AI has an Achilles Hell, as Mr Robot discovered - and every other tech terrorist has known - all you have to do is turn the mainframe off. It is even in Free Guy. This is a massive drawback - and unless AI does become sentient and decide to turn us into batteries ala the Matrix, then you know... anyway, most people are more or less, or might as well be batteries, as evidenced by the Covid pandemic and then the Ukraine War. People are actually a little bit stupid. Or tech has made them very gullible. So maybe they should be worried.

OK, what did I say I would do? It is 5 am... maybe I could prep for Monday...