Trinity,
Our policy is that on weekdays the kids are permitted up to an hour of "screen time" AFTER chores and schoolwork. We count tv, computer time, gamecube, and gameboy all the same. If a friend is here for a lengthy playdate, I may allow an extra half hour of electronic stupor. This works for us and seems to fit in pretty well with the policies of the families we are closest to, so there isn't a lot of argument about the rules being unfair. We rarely spend a whole day at home, but if we happen to be here for a long rainy day, we might watch an educational dvd or some cartoons.
Kriston,
The lines between work and play do get quite fuzzy at times, but that's one of the really cool aspects of homeschooling. My seven year old has been spending hours drawing "halfbloods" from the Percy Jackson series, and I do count it as art, but I only allow her to do it after the core academics are completed. This year is the most structured we've been, and we cover 3-4 of these core subjects a day. The rest is all gravy, as far as I'm concerned! My long term objective is to see my kids as happy lifelong learners, and not to fast track them through school.
