[I'm done with Saxon, ugh.]

I use RightStart with my kids and I love it. My kids understand math in a way I never did (until I started teaching my kids using RS!) They get lots of drill in basic math facts between the games and the practice sheets. I can't speak highly enough about how much I love how RightStart teaches math. (I do add Singapore's Challenging Word Problems just because I think word problems are so important and I want my boys to practice them daily.)

 

My only gripes are the quality of the actual books. They are self-published and could use a really good editor. But if you can get past that, you'll find a deep and rich math program.

[SOTW4: What happens when the younger child joins in?]

Bless you!! I've been dreading this--mine will be 4th & 1st in another year.

 

This is actually why I gave SOTW the old heave-ho this school year. I bought into the whole "fold in your younger kids" line and then was disappointed when I found out about the warning against using SOTW 4 with younger siblings. I asked several times what the recommendation would be for dealing with younger kids as I would have a 4th, 3rd and K5 by that point. I never got a response so I decided that instead of dreading what I would do, I'd just go ahead and do something about it now before we had too much invested in SOTW. I switched to Sonlight and am very happy with my decision!

 

If I had know about the planned younger sibling packs at the beginning of this school year, I might have stuck with SOTW.

[Let's say teaching credentials were required of homeschooling parents...]

My (currently expired) teaching certificate is for Special Education K-12. I guess I could get recertified fairly easily and then find someone to diagnose each of my kids with some kind of disability. (Hypothetically speaking.) ;)

[North Carolina]

We're originally from Upstate SC, but have been here for 12 years.