Blurring the lines.

Where do the lines of parenting and home school blur? Should they? Or should those lines be kept straight? Keeping on one side clearly "parenting" and on this side we clearly have "home schooling"? Can those lines even be held rigidly?

Take this morning for example- When Luke is determining how full the syrup is based on the indicator, is it 1/2 full or 3/4 full? In between-so how much should we microwave it for? Not 1 minute and 20 seconds... that is for 3/4 full, not 1 minute...that is for 1/2 full... 1 minute and 10 seconds! Is that "parenting" or does this count for "school" as a math exercise?
When Joel is standing over a hot stove with a spatula in his hand waiting with all excitement for me to say its time to flip a pancake ("not yet....almost...almost..."), am I "parenting" or are we working on some of our "home school" goals by building his listening and follow directions skills?

How can we dissect parenting and education as we focus on character building in the forms of service (setting the table-for everyone), sacrifice (letting your brother get his chocolate milk first), thankfulness (praying before we eat), respect (wait until the person is finished talking to have your turn to speak), contentment (stay at the table until everyone is finished), responsibility (taking your plates to the sink), etc.?

When the parent IS the teacher-how do we keep those lines distinct? Can we? Again I ask, should we?

Lets be honest, I do not count breakfast as "school". School can, at times, look a little different around here, but there will be math worksheets later and enough handwriting practice around here to fill everyone's quota!  The ideas that we are always learning and that we can constantly reinforce what we are learning are exciting aspects of home schooling!

I like structure but I also like a little blurring of the lines as well!