While writing an email regarding my teaching habits for a new homeschooler, I realized how little of my day is traditional, yet at the same time, how academically advanced my kids are.

Either my kids are genetic mutants, or the rest of my day is more important than the schooling (my personal theory, though of course they are smart)

I typed up a few of our habits, and came to dinner, I often get a helper or two, sometimes I incorporate a lesson, fractions or counting, or simply following directions. Others I just see what they know to do. Life skills, the day is full of them when you don't have to much paperwork to do.

Then there is the fact that ALL games we play have an element of learning in them, from Brain quest (all educational questions) to Zingo (like uno, only you match an instrument, complete a puzzle, spell a word, or add up to 11) To simple dice games, or even memory, we learn while we play. Computer games and the new leapster of course are learning games as well.

Of course dinner conversations factor in to the learning, from a question and answer session to talking of politics or sports (we simplify them a bit after our adult rant) Even a 'review' (fancy academic word for talk about) of a recent movie or book. We are always learning and using our knowledge.

I guess if they were behind academically I would feel more obligated to sit them down for longer ..... but thankfully they are well ahead for their age, and show no signs of slowing down.

Even a halloween costume was a reason to learn. GMC wants to be a skeleton, not only did we have to figure out how to make a costume, we had to figure out what bones to show, and there is a brief lesson in anatomy.

But I don't want to come off like I am constantly looking for a learning oportunity, JC wants to be a flower fairy princess, can't really see what is educational about that though we did make her a tutu, just not the most important skill in the world. I didn't make her study up on faery mythology or anything, we just let her have fun.

But at the same time, learning to make a tutu is building brain connections, and the more you build the easier it is...which is far more useful for ancient me, than young kids who make them regardless.

Kids are like sponges, they will learn, we just get to help choose what they learn.