The homeschool law here in NY requires us to report grades to the local superintendent of schools four times a year.  

I don't keep daily grades or grade assignments.   Like, I imagine, almost all homeschoolers, I have my kids study until they understand the concept or skill.  The end result is always mastery.  

At report time I always have to scramble for numbers or official sounding words to evaluate the kids.  Truthfully, with any given lesson, there's four possible outcomes:  knew it already/skipped, bad attitude/incomplete assignment, immaturity/return to it later, and studied until mastered.  I don't think that the superintendent would understand, though, if I gave Sterling a 10% skipped, a %15 bad attitude, a 5% immature/return later, and a 70% studied until mastered as his American history grade.

Yesterday, I asked Sterling about his preferences for grading mechanisms.  I suggested that he could write a paragraph on what he learned in each subject.  He shuddered.  He is certain that he wants a test.  This is a classic example of more work for me equals less work for him.   I could make him do it anyway.  But I guess I will write a test.  Ten questions in each subject should make it easy to grade, right?  

P.S.;  The baby is at that stage in development where he brings me some random object and then cries because I didn't do with it what he wanted me to do.  Shoes, a piece of paper, the spatula from the kitchen drawer, get banged against my knees.  I tell him what they are, pretend to use them, do something silly.  But it's not what he imagined I'd do, and he can't tell me what he wants, so he disintegrates quickly.  This morning the kids are putting together a wooden puzzle map of the U.S.A.  The baby keeps bringing me states.   Lucky for us, he thinks just hearing their names is hilarious.  "Missouri" gave him belly laughs.