Thank you for saying this. I didn't want to chime in because I'm still new to homeschooling and don't have the wisdom and experience of so many others on this board. But, I've noticed many others commenting about their struggles with depression in various threads. I've personally been dealing with PPD since the birth of my second child 7 months ago (I have bipolar disorder, so this isn't atypical for me), but have still managed to homeschool my oldest (who is accelerated by two years in most subjects) while living in a foreign country. I hope to continue homeschooling when we return to the States, but some of the comments in this thread have given me pause about whether I'm fooling myself into thinking I can homeschool long-term. I do see a doctor, and wouldn't hesitate to put my son back in PS if need be, but I'd like to think that I can do this in spite of a chronic mental illness.

Thank you for this.

We are finishing up MM1 and I'm thinking of switching to Singapore 2A in the fall. My son likes workbooky things, and I think he would be better served by the format and scope of Singapore. Has anyone switched from MM1 to Singapore 2? Why (or why not)? Do you think this switch would go alright or is there something I need to cover with my son in MM before we switch? Did you find Singapore more difficult to teach? We already do a buddy-style math where I scribe for my DS and we talk through the problems when he gets stuck. If we do switch, should I just buy the textbook, the IP, and CWP, or will I likely need more (keeping in mind that I do have MM1-6 for additional review)? Do you use the CA (standards) edition? I read that these were being aligned to Common Core. Do you know if this has happened yet? Thanks so much!

Thank you for this. Did you need the HIG? Did you find Singapore difficult to teach vs. MM?

Swarthmore is second tier? Isn't it ranked in the top 3?

I have bipolar disorder and just had my 2nd child 7 months ago. I worked with my psychiatrist to wean from my meds, but there are certainly instances where staying on meds is preferable. I would work closely with a psychiatrist who has experience/is up to date on the latest research re meds during pregnancy. I also second the recommendation of additional vitamin D (I took 2000 IUs living in Southern California and Mexico; I'd take more in colder climates). My doctor also recommended 6000 mg. of fish oil, 400 mg. of SAM-e, and 2000 mcg. of folate (antidepressants deplete it). There is no shame in needing meds. Please take good care and be gentle with yourself.

I keep feeling like my DS5 would be better served by switching from MM to Singapore. I am still new to homeschooling, but I originally chose MM because I liked that MM does the teaching (although, I've found that we basically do buddy-style math, with me scribing and nudging him through when he gets stuck) and believed that switching between all the Singapore books would be cumbersome. As our first year of homeschooling is coming to a close, I am realizing that using different books doesn't really bother me that much and that my son thrives on variety. We have just a few more weeks of MM1 left. My plan is to focus on LOF, Zaccaro, finishing up CWP1, and perhaps some Borac and living math books for the rest of the school year and over the summer. I was thinking that we would do MM2 in the fall, but I keep having this nagging feeling that my son would be better served by Singapore. I keep feeling like he doesn't need all the problems in MM and that the format of Singapore might appeal to him more (he seems to like workbooky things). But, I've been telling myself just to stay the course with MM, and that my nagging feeling is just me wanting something shiny and new. Then today, I read this on MM's webpage: Singapore Math's scope is slightly more advanced (quicker) in a few topics. SM covers single-digit multiplication and division a grade earlier (in MM, that is 3rd grade, in SM, 2nd). And, SM covers multi-digit multiplication and division a grade earlier as well (in MM that is 4th, and in SM it is 3rd). Decimals are covered quicker and earlier in SM. In grade 4, MM covers decimals up to 2 decimal digits and does not include decimal division, SM has them up to 3 decimal digits and includes all four operations. In general, the scope of both curricula over 6 grades is quite similar, so that by 6th grade both curricula have covered fractions, decimals, percents, ratios, some easy algebra, and geometry topics up to the area of circle. However, MM includes more on statistics and probability than SM. The above comparison does not apply to SM Primary Mathematics Standards Edition, which follows California standards and is therefore more advanced. I believed that MM and Singapore were similar enough in content to not make a change worthwhile (I have all 6 levels of MM), but, after reading the above, I'm now feeling like we should make a change. Has anyone switched from MM1 to Singapore 2? Why (or why not)? Do you think this switch would go alright or is there something I need to cover with my son before we switch? If we do switch, should I just buy the textbook, the IP, and CWP, or will I likely need more (keeping in mind that I do have MM1-6 for additional review)? Do you use the CA edition? Cost is not a big concern, but content, interest, and challenge are. What say thee wise folks? Thanks in advance.

Thanks, Silver. It sounds like I will want to do some additional phonics/spelling work.

...are you doing additional spelling and/or phonics work? It looks like level 2 doesn't have a workbook like level 1 does. We really like the level 1 workbook. Is level 2 just dictation of the spelling list + reading Elson or is there more to it for spelling and phonics?

How does a Ker get to read at a 12th grade level? I clicked on the link, but couldn't make heads or tails of it?

Coffeemate is what does me in.

It's legal in CA with a script. It's not a big deal IMO. I know plenty of adults who use MJ and still manage to pay their taxes and lead productive lives. Shrugs.

We just finished Because of Winn-Dixie and James and the Giant Peach, both of which were awesome.

We use HWOT, and I always just remind my son that d starts with a magic c.

My issue with being purely interest-led in math at the early elementary stage is a sort of "chicken or the egg" problem. Because arithmetic isn't going to light a fire in the belly of most young kids, it is difficult to really spur an interest in math unless you expose them to some of the deeper topics early on. I understand that there are kids on this board for whom anything math related is going to be extremely interesting, and who just naturally gravitate to the subject. But, I am thinking of kids more like myself. I was given a standard, shallow understanding of mathematics through Calculus AB. It wasn't until I took second semester Calculus in college that I finally understood the beauty of math -- so much so that I almost considered adding it as a second major. I didn't end up doing so because, at the time, I just could not really see myself as a math person, even though I had been very competent in the subject. I had no interest in math before college, aside from a utilitarian interest in taking rigorous courses and getting the grades required of selective universities. Looking back, I wonder if I would have done more with math had I been exposed to those deeper topics earlier, especially considering that I did eventually gravitate to applied mathematical subjects like finance and economics (again, subjects that I had no significant exposure to until college). In reading this board for the last few months, and in learning about all the different ways a young person could study deeper mathematics (from BA to AOPS to Dover books), I'm excited to give my children the opportunity to go deeper than I even knew existed. While their interests will guide the long-term trajectory of their studies, I hope to expose them to these deeper mathematical concepts irrespective of their initial interest.

My DS5 loved playing Reading Eggs when he was 3-4. You might think about playing games like that instead of something more formal.

If you did it concurrent with LLtL (vs. WWE), does anyone have a recommended jumping off point/level? Or would it be redundant since LLtL uses fables?

Singapore. I keep feeling like I'm cheating my son in some way by doing MM.

We're chomping at the bit for BA, and I wondered if I could start it concurrent with MM2 at some point. After looking through the samples, my analysis was the same as yours.

I don't regulate it. You get your school work done, you play sports and get outside, you hang with friends, you read with me for over an hour per day. What you do for your free time, whether Minecraft or age-appropriate TV, I feel is your decision.

This is such a helpful thread. I've been feeling like we need to do some compacting in MM2 and I haven't had the confidence or experience to know how. So thank you!

Full scholarship to the Bishop's School in La Jolla. Or Phillips Exeter. I'm not picky. ;)

I'm trying to learn to meal plan and make shopping lists. I already have hundreds of recipes saved on Pinterest that I never cook. Is there an app that will allow me to sync my previously pinned recipes to meal plan and make shopping lists? I see things like Ziplist will let me add new recipes from Pinterest, but I'd love to be able to use ones I already pinned. I have an Android phone and tablet, but may buy an iPad in the near future as well. Can any app do this? Thanks.

The orange workbook was the only thing we used and it worked great for us.

This is our first year homeschooling, so I'm still learning what works for us. Our misses to date: AAS -- switched to RLtL OPGTR -- switched to Progressive Phonics BFSU -- taking a more living books approach to science in the early years. Miquon -- just not for me. Happy with MM + CWP + Zaccaro + LOF. Great programs, but they just weren't a fit for us. I don't regret the purchases. It's been a good learning process for us.