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Mar. 4, 2009
Boston Children's Museum I
What a day! We took the commuter rail into Boston yesterday, walked the 4 blocks from South Station to the Boston Children's Museum, and spent 6 jam packed hours exploring, comparing the new renovation to the old, B missed the old, "Grandma's attic," exhibit. M was so young the last time he went that he did not remember the museum, in fact, this was meant to be his 5th birthday treat - but as all the children including K came down with the Chicken Pox last year, we put it off. Last month we realized that if we didn't hustle, we'd be celebrating M's 6th birthday before we ever got to his 5th. M has been feeling squeezed as the middle child lately, so we hustled, life is hard enough for a little kid transitioning to becoming a schoolboy/big brother without having a concrete disappointment to point to.
K LOVED everything! Walking on inclines, having big spaces to go and go and go through, playing with the golf balls in the track room, dancing on the light up floor with the virtual ball to dodge, sleeping in her Ellaroo,
 and charming a grad student doing MIT research; she was declared to "Have an exceptionally long attention span."
I was so proud of B. He was careful of younger children, enthusiastic in his explorations, helpful to us (more than once DH and I agreed that we just love having and 11 year old.)
The climbing structure was the greatest hit;
 it hangs in the stairwell/atrium of the lobby, kids can enter or exit on the bottom, but only exit the top if the staff person lets them out the door to their waiting grown up. She told us we were brave, as most parent's don't climb up too. DH was playing tag with the boys, I just couldn't say no to M's invitation. (and I sure do need to do more flexibility exercises!)
 I didn't take pictures of the Boston Harbor room (the kids got so wet we had to blow dry M's shirt and change K, as it was, I feared for the camera)
The bubble room was still wonderful, with less of a dank cavernous feeling than in the old layout. Exhibits flowed more than in the old layout, but there was also a hallway, and that well lit by the new tall, glass front structure.
The other favorite spot was "Kid Power!" an exhibit to encourage healthy eating and active living.
One not too often addressed critique of homeschooling is that younger children don't have time to do young kid stuff while the family focuses on older kid's academic challenges. Perhaps that's just what happens as families grow, some changes in the sort of organization and expectations have to kick in. But getting us all out for a fun day playing and learning feels like DH and I pulled off a coup.
Part II
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