But I think that the wording is the hook. To people used to a public or private school system that are not familiar with homeschool this IS what they consider homeschooling and it this what they are looking for. Yes... K12 may not be homeschooling either but it is school at home and that fine distinction doesn't matter to those outside the culture.

You could do David Edding's Belgariad and Mallorean. Books by Tamora Pierce. At least I would. They are fantasy but lighter than LotR.

I just recently purchased a binding system from amazon. It is by Carl brands. The system with 100 spines ended up being about $35. There are many different colored spines too. http://littlemanlogic.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/i-bound-my-first-book/

CLE Math and language arts. It was a whim, as we are secular. My son loves them.

I agree with many. Some kids like more academic things, some don't. I loved academics as a young one. Begging my mom to teach me to read when I was a tot. I always loved learning. I was certainly a black sheep in my family, in that regard. Even as a child when it was school holidays (vacation, break) I was creating projects on a variety of topics. As an adult I am constantly learning, and I take free classes via my library all the time. My son is like me and we can bond in that way. I am not making him cry or forcing him. Now cleaning his room on the other hand... Brings completely meltdown. We certainly bond in other ways. We both like running, and going for walks. We like to bake together. But academics is the main thing. If we didn't have if, that is okay. But we do and we enjoy our time spent cuddling on the couch reading or doing math, or discussing American history.

Maybe sites like this would help. Videos and games. http://www.mathplayground.com/ThinkingBlocks/thinking_blocks_start.html

Play games. Take what you like from Singapore ans play games. Make them up. I know a lot of people like the number bonds (part-part-whole) part of Singapore. I am going to make up a game on the fly right now. So take some cards with numerals 0-10 several on them. Several sets maybe 5 or 6. I would just use index cards to make them. Pick a card at random from the deck. Imagine it is a 10. Then play a game like fish. Instead of getting pairs you would make a number bond. So 0 and 10 would be a set. As would 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7 and so forth. The one with the most sets wins. You could also laminate some sheets with blank number bonds pictures on them. Then you could play a game with the cards where each player picks a card from the top of the deck and then you write that number on the number bonds sheet anywhere. The aim of the game would be to race to see who can make the first page of number bonds. You could use a dice as an alternative.

Disney writes a lot of novelizations of their movies. They are a lower level. 4th grade I think. Not great literature. But she could read those and then read originals, when available and write some contrasting essays. For example, Frozen is based on Hans Christian Anderson's Snow Queen. If I recall correctly there is a YA, contemporary fantasy series based on the Snow Queen that she can read also. There are other YA fantasy series that borrow heavily from fairy tales that might be good for her to read. She can write about what elements come from certain fairy tales. Fairy tales also have themes, some universal and some unique. Things like wolves or foxes being cunning. Or the wicked step mother motif.

I would contact Denise Eide via her site. She will probably be able to point you into the right direct as to if you need an additional writing program.

I would have to say cellar is tough. I know many adults that wouldn't really know one. And here cellar would probably be synonymous with basement, although they are quite different. A basement is accessed inside a house and is more like a lower floor or a house. A cellar is access from the exterior of the house. I don't know anyone that calls it a storm shelter, but cellar might be synomous with storm shelter. It is conflicting for me as an adult that knows the difference. I can't imagine a 7 year old unless the have been exposed. My 4 year old only knows because when we walk around our neighborhood I can point out our neighbors that have cellars, we have a basement but it used to be a cellar.

Logic of English essentials might be a good fit. It is an all in one program that will remediate reading, teach spelling rules and grammar. The beauty of it is that you can fly through it rapidly where she needs. Or take several years to go through it. There are so many extra suggested activities that you can pick and choose from so that you land right where you need to. The website is great and there are some very thorough videos. One especially helpful one shows what is in the book. http://www.logicofenglish.com/essentials

Would holding a pebble or a Pom Pom in her palm when she writes help?

You can get a giant workbook for preschoolers at most department stores. But dot to dot, mazes, coloring books will also suffice. As will paper, scissors and access to lots of craft supplies. The workbooks are just nice if you want some guidance. There is a book called Marshmallow Mafh. I highly recommend it. It gives ideas of how to incorporate math in day go day life. John Bowman's Montessori books is exceptionally good also. I also love the tot school blog at 1+1+1=1. And read, read, read. Not just picture books, non fiction books also. Easy chapter books too. Audio books are good for the latter. Talk about the books as you read. Point out the pictures. Try and make predictions. Run your fingers under the words. If you want to teach reading there is an amazing series of DVDs by a company called Preschool a Prep. If you aren't against media you could pop one of those in while you get something done.

As an Aussie I am fine with British, it is what I grew up with, my American raised son is also as I explain a lot of my heritage words to him. My American husband on the other hand doesn't do so well. He tries. My issue with Winnie the Pooh was the back and forth into conversational tone. I struggled with having the right inflection and knowing when to apply that until the end of the sentences. So my reading was becoming quite stilted. And my son even noticed. I would have been fine if the author would stop addressing Christopher Robin and just tell the story.

Talking about husbands pulling if off, mine struggles with Beatrix potter. He isn't much of a reader. I just laugh when my 4 year old son is correcting him and explaining what soporific and superfluous mean. I am also Australian and have a more natural understanding of British books than my husband. Thankfully I have passed that onto my son.

I agree! Kids doing naughty things gives my son too many ideas, and too much sass. But animals on the other hand. That seems different to him somehow. Sadly I can't monitor and explain the behaviors in all the books that he devours because he goes through so many. It is not just books I have to be careful of. The other day he told me that I talk too much for a woman when I was explaining something to him. Thanks Liberty's Kids. At least I was about to impress upon him the mindset of their times and he has not said it to me again. My husband of course thinks it is hilarious. I just don't want him talking like that to others.

People have mentioned the ones I can't read aloud. Winnie the Pooh was the first that popped into my mind. Followed by The Magic Treehouse. I can't read Dr Seuss either.

My son thought Mr Poppers Penguins was funny.

Recliner all the way. And yes I used a rocking recliner. I could hold infant twins in it when they were having their bottles. And for many years is was the best reading chair for all three of us.

Games and play! We do a lot of verbal stuff too. We also do math everyday. Just like reading. And we also incorporate living math. Curriculums are for me not him. I read ahead. Get a good idea of what I am teaching, and how. Then we make up games on the fly. We are in second grade math. That is how we tie everything together. Once we have covered the concepts enough via play we do the curriculum rapidly. I use spectrum workbooks to cover traditional math. He does a work page every day on his own. If I find that he needs assistance I will make a note to teach and play a game that will give him a better understanding. We do Singapore verbally. Usually we snuggle up in bed and read through the textbooks for as long as he wants. Once again if he doesn't have an idea of what we are learning I will cover it another day. We also use Ray's arithmetic verbally. But I let him play with manipulatives if he needs to. It is the only book that I have open when we play math. We also watch math videos that teach different ways to do math. And we use apps too.

We started Singapore at and early age. But after much math play. So it was t anything too unfamiliar. We also did 1a and 1b verbally. We are working on 2a in out spare time and will do it verbally also. We do other math programs. We also school year round.

....it doesn't have to be a snowman. Okay, bye...

We got the jr set and it is a great start. You can get a light up set or a green set which is independent of the 750R set. It would be less of an investment incase she doesn't like it. And it might be easier to start with a smaller set and less components. But we are intending to get the full set when we can afford it too. And hopefully before the end of the year as it will be his 5th brithday gift. If we don't get the big set we will get the lights, green or car set instead. I highly recommend getting it with the case.

Hahaha. That is too good to be true.... But it is.

I think 3 is a great age. I got them for my son's fourth birthday and I could certainly have gotten them sooner. He was already reading independently at that point so I think that helps him play them by himself. However I don't think reading is necessary, but you might want to offer guidance to get the most value out of them. It may take a little practice for them to read the schematics, but once the can they should be able to assemble things by themselves. As long as their fine motor skills permit. It did take my son just a little practice to snap the circuits together. But it it no more difficult than a lego.