My method of 'schooling' my kids up to about a month ago has been to sit them at the table and work through books or worksheets before they can do anything else.  I've found it very difficult to think 'out of the mold' concerning teaching my kids and so I've stuck with the way I was taught which was to sit and fill out workbooks or pages. 

The thing is, it worked ok for me in school but it has NOT worked for my son.  I've found it an increasing battle getting him to sit and do the work and I've noticed 'fruit' that I'm not liking whatsoever such as having a lack of desire to do anything because he knows he's going to have to do 'school work' first.  It has had me very concerned as to how I'm going to work through it. 

I started reading different blogs and books that really challenged the way I view 'school'.  I've decided that I'm not going to worry about whether he's reading and writing out words on paper or able to answer a math problem on paper.  If I make learning fun and enjoyable it's going to come naturally!

So today I traced a bunch of handprints of both Ethan and Jaeden on different colors of paper, cut them out and wrote different letters of the alphabet on each of them.  I then went around and stuck them to the wall with sticky tack in one room and made a game with the letters.  I called out the letter name or the sound it made and the kids had to run and put their hand on the correct letter.  They loved it!!!  In fact, Ethan asked to play it tonight before bed again.  He's learning and having a blast doing it.  Go figure.

So I'm now not worried about what he's learning so much as whether or not he's interested and having fun.  I figure if he's having fun doing it, he's learning at the same time.  (I know you're probably thinking, 'duh!') :-)