Math advice heeded and appreciated

Improvement in math attitude!

I synthesized everyone's input on my math dilemma and came up with a strategy.

We are sticking with Singapore Math, but if she can do the first five problems with good explanation of what she is doing and accuracy she doesn't have to do the rest. This morning she did five word problems and successfully identified how to approach them and completing them correctly, so she didn't have to do the last two. She has a strong grasp on how to approach a problem and solve it. She is still weak in her basic arithmetic (multiplication tables.)

I have ordered some math games. One is called Wrap Ups and works on basic multiplication, division, and fractions. The other is Carmen Sandiego Math Detective, for 1 cent on Amazon (plus $4 shipping.)

We did a math mystery for bedtime last night. She requested more and solved them all.

She was enthusiastic about doing her math this morning!

Y'all are brilliant. Thanks for your help.

Need some math advice here.

Okay. I researched math programs up down and sideways. I can tell you what the experts think about A Beka, Singapore, Saxon, Math Mammoth, and Math-U-See. I can tell you how Oregon's public school's math program rates nationwide (we got a D), who did well (California and Massachusettes were the only ones that got A's), how the US ranks internationally (24th), and who is the first (Singapore).

I was torn, and still am torn, between Singapore Math (ranked first world-wide) and Math-U-See (well reviewed and hands on).

Mi'ita's public school teacher foisted upon us the math curriculum she had. It is languishing on the shelf. Oregon got a D, you know.

We bought Singapore Math. It looks good. Mi'ita can do it fine.

But she hates it. She hated the school curriculum when she went to public school, too. She tested well, rated "exceptional" in their standardized tests last year. She is good at math but doesn't like it.

I bought a Math Mysteries book to spice up the math. Here is the dilemma. She requests to do Math Mysteries instead of Singapore Math.

Do I let her? Basically they are long word problems that star a couple of kids that have to solve mysteries using math.

Example: The other day we did one that involved figuring out the radius of a circle. Could a dog tethered to the center of a yard eat the tulips in the neighbor's yard? We ended up talking about the Greeks, Euclid in particular, who figured out PI in order to construct their amazing buildings. She extrapolated into talking about that Greek guy, what's his face, who figured out the circumference of the Earth. Then John had her do a couple problems figuring out the radius of the Earth. She learned how to use a formula, why they are handy, and how you would solve this problem without the formula.

I am torn. I think it is of the utmost importance for her to change her attitude about math. If she hates one but likes the other, it seems like a no brainer to do the one she likes. The problem, though, is these math mysteries are teasers. They do not teach math, they are games to use in addition to a math curriculum. The math curriculums teach math sequentially and theoretically completely. I would have no problem changing to a different curriculum, but should I use no curriculum at all?

Do I toss a math program out the window to do math games?