I would avoid Abeka History like the plague.
It was written by someone whose all consuming interest was history and demands detail that virtually nobody can remember but a history buff.
Nor do I care that D.L. Moody’s song leader was Ira Sanky.
Abeka deals with a lot of facts, but my daughter liked Alpha-Omega, I think it was better. She said it explained more WHY things happened than just spewing facts.
For second grade, I’d just introduce them to the basic form of our government and use each holiday as their curriculum guide. Each month has a holiday in it that we celebrate and you can just make the focus of history for that month studying those holidays and what they represent and the people commemorated.
Time is a very abstract concept for kids who are concrete thinkers and them learning to go back that far in time is a real stretch for them, I found.
Also, include geography in that history. Then you’ll have more than enough to cover that subject.
First things first. Assess the legal landscape. I can't tell if you are in the US or not...your neighbor MUST know what's legal and not. In the US, joining the HSLDA is paramount IMHO.
Once your neighbor is solid on the legal boundaries, I'd encourage him/her to...well...spend a week with the child without any plan or program. I'm not suggesting unschooling, but rather a "get to know your learning style" acclimatization period. Your neighbor will likely experience a bit of a gut-punch at how little he/she knows about their child's learning pattern. That's ok - because this is where darkness turns to light..
I've heard more kudos heaped upon Abeka than any other program. We found it to be awful. And while some elitists may sniff at using a "lesser" program, the fact is that not all kids learn at the same rate or the same way. This is where the parent must seek our resources and materials that work with the child. Some kids take to an academic treatment of a subject. Some kids gravitate to a simpler approach...some love multimedia...some need to be hand-held. But the light I just mentioned, is the ability to customize the materials with your child's learning style. When that child's eyes light up, at how learning suddenly comes easily, and how the parent may weep with joy when the realization that they leaped over "the experts" in knowing AND educating their child, is a moment that will stay with them long after the pandemic is over.