Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 15

Chapter 15 deals with the first kings of England, including the Norman Conquest. Three stories took us through three hundred years of medieval history in the British Isles. It is familiar territory for me, as I took a course in British History and Civilization when I was studying at the University of Bucharest. But that was many years ago and it is good to revisit these topics.

Alfred Cakes

I experimented with different sizes because the recipe said to make four cakes out of all the dough and it just seemed like they would be too big.

The kids colored the picture of Alfred the Great and the Bayeux Tapestries while I read. Then, we worked on the map. For our craft, we baked Alfred cakes. Not sure why they are called that way other than the fact that they must be watched carefully lest they burn, which would connect them to the story of the cakes burned by King Alfred. They don’t even have oats, like the original cakes Alfred burned. Oh well.

They turned out to be like scones and tasted great with tea or warm milk or Roma, if you are into the coffee flavor without the caffeine downside.

All the other crafts suggested for this lesson seemed rather ambitious and I know my limitations. I generally stay away from cloth and fabric crafts. As a teenager, I went through a phase where I loved designing my own clothes and I actually cut up a pattern or two for myself.

Then, I took them to a seamstress who put them all together. I took sewing in college but did not enjoy it. Besides, machines stress me out. Threading a sewing machine and troubleshooting just seem so impossibly hard. It’s just not for me.

Alfred Cakes Dough

Alfred Cakes going into the oven

I think it is important for a homeschooling mom to know what she can and cannot do. Or, better yet, what she is willing to do or not. Ultimately, we can all “do” things if we put our minds to it. But, if they are not essential for our children’s educational journey, the question changes to “Will this stress me out and wear me out?”

Therefore, we should all learn where we can draw the line and say, “I will stop here and go no further.” For me, cloth crafts, even with fabric glue, just seem too difficult. It’s OK to say no.

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