We stated with an assumption that my wife could educate our child at least as well as the lowest ranking school system in the state, which is our county. This is her first grade year, so we are able to work into the curriculum at a slow and deliberate pace instead of having to run out and buy the first one that looked good. My wife has been teaching basic reading, writing, and arithmetic in our dining room, which has been converted into a school room. She has a lot of the same things as a normal classroom, spelling tests, math test, worksheets found online, crafts, electronic projects, etc.

We use a lot of positive reinforcement. One example is a caterpillar around the top of the wall. The sections of the caterpillar are made of cut circles with the names of books she has finished on them. The more she reads the bigger the caterpillar gets as circles are added to the back. There are coupons for things like toys, pizza, etc at intervals taped to the wall as rewards for achievement. The final reward is if the caterpillar reaches my desk. When it does I will build her a reading nook in her room.

We use online resources such as games that teach typing, TEDtalks on youtube for logic, random college level lectures from youtube that interest her, and http://pbskids.org for entertainment. The biggest resource has been JumpStart. She started it when she was three and has been in it this whole time. It’s a great tool for learning, something I highly recommend for any child. It builds a lot of basic skills, yet seems to avoid all the “social life lessons” that everyone thinks is so important. We are currently evaluating the Time4Learning program as an actual curriculum starting next year.

We have balanced all this with her natural love of science and the outdoors. The TEDtalks helps with this, but also a big factor is spending time in the bush. We use the BushcraftUSA site as a great outdoor resource. She lacks the physical strength to do it, but she knows how to build a fire with a bow drill. It is important to me that my girls grow up being able to take care of themselves both in society and the natural world. I want them to have the confidence that they do not need a man to give them purpose.

I'm not sure how much of these online courses are appropriate for the skill level of your kid, but I did post this a while back.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technol...

I can personally vouch for duolingo.com
It is very good.
Probably equal to the first disk of a Rosetta Stone package.

Rosetta Stone also has online subscription rates.

My boy is almost 4 and we are looking into the Ron Paul Curriculum. It should be up and running by next year, and is obviously going to be oriented around a libertarian perspective with some extra emphasis on history and economics, it seems to me. We are looking forward to homeschooling, and will have more to say about our experiences as they come. Here's the link to Paul's site which also has a couple of links to recommended online resources for parents who need something now. I believe that one was possibly even a free resource. But both seemed to have Paul's approval; which isn't everything, but, nowadays, it sure helps!

http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/

Thanks. That was a big motivational factor for us. The local school system is also the lowest performer in the state. Another factor is my daughter's job. I have employed her to go with me to the range and pick up my spent brass, as I reload my own ammunition. She enjoys this occupation greatly, and is learning the value of money. She even paid for her own Christmas gift for my wife this year.
The current political situation, coupled with amount of school officials confusing their jobs as educators with their liberal agendas means this can be a dangerous occupation for her. Homeschooling gets rid of that also.

Thank you. You know I think there is a lot of "you are not qualified to teach" attitude out there. The evidence in favor of homeschooling is fact based and real, so the message has to be against the parents on an emotional level. The lemmings stay in line.