Meet Mildred

This is Mildred, my Victorian daughter. At least for today. She was hoping to get Henrietta (her favorite Victorian name) but Mildred it was.

Today at school was the culmination event for the end of Clara's Victorian segment at school which they have been studying for weeks. This included a trip to Armley Mills where Clara came home shocked at how horrible life was for the poor children at that time. She must have forgotten a little too quickly just how horrible though because last night when asked to tidy up the toys with which she'd played, she complained that she was just like a Victorian. Her reasoning? She was being told what to do and had to work. That didn't sit very well with me so I *kindly* reminded her of some key differences between her life and that of the poor children who worked in the mills well before child labor laws were created. Don't get me started...

Aside from my tangent, today was Victorian day at school and the children all came in period costume. Instead of running into class when Miss James rang the school bell, the children lined up from tallest to shortest and had to curtsy or bow to the teacher before entering the classroom. Why, oh why, did I not have a camera with me this morning????? Very entertaining.

What a great segment at school. I know Clara loved it and learned a lot - even if she does try to unreasonably apply it to her own life. Today they worked on chalkboards and did individual work with chalk on black paper, practiced sewing as well as wrote in "Victorian handwriting" (looks like fancy cursive) the quote "Children should be seen and not heard". Devin's comment? "Well, hopefully she learned something today".

Then there is Mildred's little...er, brother? What is it with Jonas and hats (and scary smiles)? It was hard to get this thing off him. And you should have seen the look on his face this morning when Clara put it on to go to school and he didn't get to wear one (it wasn't Victorian day for his class, you see). Your day will come, Jonas...