I’ve just got back from Freya’s nursery school where Jo and I had our first Individual Development Program (IUP in Swedish) meeting with Freya’s teacher, Janet.

We’d been asked to fill in a form prior to the meeting, to include questions and thoughts about Freya’s development; this was a very difficult task for us. In the end we managed to put together five or so ideas on paper, though none of them major.

Janet informed us that Freya is a fantastic little girl with a personality to match (as well as parents – Janet’s words, not ours). She is calm, well-liked by all (including the older children), and manages to be independent where others give up (when putting on her clothes, for example). She’ll try, and is curious about, everything.

She can take initiative and decide herself if she wants to be a part of someone else’s play, though can sometimes be dominated by those who are, by nature, more dominant. When someone comes along and interupts her puzzle-playing she can just walk away and find another activity to engage in.

Jo and I both agree that this is actually a good thing. We know she can stand up for herself, but it is not always desireable or necessary to do so. Neither is it Freya’s problem that such incidences happen, and, as long as the guilty party is confronted about his/her behaviour, we see nothing wrong with our daughter’s choice. In fact turning the other cheek is a personality trait we are more than willing to encourage.

This is Janet’s last week at school. Selfishly, we wish Janet were to stay, but understand her need to develop as much as we do Freya’s. Janet has been wonderful, taking care of Freya’s skills, and keeping an eye on the vegan (and sometimes not) food she gets.

Thank you Janet, for being there for Freya and us.

Continuing the outing theme, we went to a puppet theatre today, Dockteatern Tittut, puppetry for children from two years old.

Today’s show was a forty minute version of H.C. Anderson’s Thumbelina, with two puppeters/actors taking on all the story’s roles. Unusually, they weren’t hidden behind a black veil, but were as much a part of the story as the puppets they were controlling.

Freya was a bit tired, had just drunk some juice (sugar-kick, anyone?) and was part of a 40-odd audience; she phased in and out of the performance, sometimes interacting with some of the other children present. All in all, though, she enjoyed herself and must have earned some experience points from the event.

Jo and I liked the show very much, too, and will definitely be making more frequent visits to this theatre.

We hadn’t planned to do much today. The weather was inclement, and (I later found out it wasn’t the case) Wolves were playing W.B.A.

After lunch we stepped out into the rain and, umbrellas in hand, made our way to the local second-hand shop. On our departure Freya saw two worms in a puddle by the steps to the shop. We carefully took them from their watery grave and placed them in the nearby grass.

For most of the remaining journey home Freya was taken by any further worms we found making their way over the footpath, and we helped two or three more to relative safety. All in all, over ten worms were sighted.

During our worm safari we passed a lake. Freya spotted some ducks paddling on the shore opposite, and it was then I remembered the bread Freya had stuffed in her nut box the evening before. Birds, bread and child can only mean one thing, excluding a chicken burger at mCdONALD,S: feeding the birds.

A simple afternoon’s browsing led to a very enjoyable adventure in the park. It’s interesting how easy it is to forget how much pleasure is obtainable from the most simple of experiences. Something that our bank account appreciates.

N.B. The fear of worms is known as vermiphobia