We started with Upwords Reading and have LOVED it. Catherine has completed level 0 (Jan-Nov 2016). We just started level 1 in March, but we're doing it at half-speed now so that we don't get her too far ahead of her age range and it gives our Chinese classmates a better speed to keep up with us. (If you're interested in ordering this curriculum, talk with us first as we may can help you get a discount).
Mostly, she and I do her school when the other two girls are napping in the afternoon. It means Ann hasn't had any formal school yet, but I will probably start her on level 0 in the late summer or early fall.
Sidenote: I love the flexibility of homeschooling. We haven't started any term or semester or whatever when it's "normal" to start in America, or when it's normal to start in China. We've just started (and stopped) as it's been convenient for us and our stateside travel. It may not always be as easy as it is now to flex, but I really love that aspect of it!
In the mornings the girls have Chinese lessons two days a week and we also watch Chinese videos each morning while I comb their hair. These made by Sesame Street are our favorite. I try to use the times the girls are in their Chinese lesson (I don't teach it, a local friend does) to do Abigail's speech therapy.
Last month, I added math to our routine. I chose a pre-k/k curriculum and started Ann and Catherine together at the same level. Some things are way too easy for Catherine but she still enjoys it and I love them doing it together and not having to prepare separate lessons.
We've also done what I guess some people would call unit studies as we have special programs we can offer through our business. For example we did a STEM unit with about 6 other local kids just before we went home for the winter. We've hosted a few playgroups with different learning themes (this summer's will be geography).
The other things I about homeschooling is that we can do it "as we go." I needed to take some jeans to be patched and the place was on the other side of town, but we got to learn some biology since we got to pass through the fish/turtle/aquarium market.
Catherine is reading really well now so she can take a book in the taxi and read to Ann and it keeps them both occupied so I don't have to say, "stop that. sit right. don't touch the handle" 25 times. :)
That's really all we do right now. We'll see how things change when we add Christina to our lives!
