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I know this has been talked about before and I'm not sure where I saw it. I remember people saying that they used DITHOR every other day or 2x/week and made it last two years by doing that. I am getting ready to start doing Bigger for my two 8 yos and w/ Extensions for my oldest 10 yo. Reading is scheduled daily, but if all my kids are doing DITHOR (2 at level 2/3 and 1 at level 4/5), is it okay if I only do Reading every other day? Or would you do it with one of your kids each day so it doesn't take so long? Since I will have two kids doing all of their reading out loud to me, I am thinking this could take quite a while to listen to them read and then do the workbook.

I appreciate help from those who have used the program. I am just getting ready to dig in to the manual and figure out how we will be using it. I think my kids are actually ready to start school early and I want to be ready to go!

Tiffini,

I don't have much experience with DITHOR yet...but here's what I do know and what I remember reading. I'm pretty sure that when you get to Preparing, DITHOR is scheduled every other day, and if your child is ready for DITHOR before then you can decide how often you want to do it. I think there are a lot of moms that use it every other day...which covers the 9 genres over 2 years.

I just started DITHOR with my 8 yo and so far it has been very quick and fun for us! (Not that we were expecting anything else...he's been begging for the books for the last 8 weeks. ) You get to set the pace for your reading, so you kind of decide how long a day takes. It's been right at 20 min so far for us. I'm planning to do it every day this year while we do Bigger and then next year it'll be every other. (You're doing Bigger, too, right?)

You mentioned alternating days for your 8 yo's. I think that would probably work really well for you. Here's another idea...you could alternate the days they read aloud to you and read silently. I don't get the impression that 8 yo's have to read out loud all the time with DITHOR. I think that's your call on what they're ready for. It also mentions in the guide that you can get them started by listening and then "turn them loose", so that's an option, too.

I'm sure some more experinced moms will be along to give us ideas. I'm going to get this submitted before I loose it again! (I have no idea if I said the same thing this time... Oh, Kelly... You have those cute little jumping icons, surely you know where the "lost and found" is on a message board. Unfortunately, I think I have several posts there. )

Looking forward to going through DITHOR and Bigger with you!
Kathleen

Thanks for your response, Kathleen. It is encouraging that you are doing it daily with an 8 yo and it is not too overwhelming. I am just concerned with doing it daily with all 3 of mine. I was thinking of them taking turns and then allowing them to read another book of their choice on their off days. But, then I thought that might make more work for me if I'm teaching the same thing three different times. Having never used it, I'm just not sure. I'm sure things will come together in my mind after we actually start using it. I'm so looking forward to our year with Bigger and DITHOR!!

Tiffini,

Kathleen did a great job of answering your questions! We have done DITHR some years 5 days a week, some 4 days a week, and some 3 days a week, depending on how our year was shaping up.

Any of those scenarios will work. In Preparing we schedule it 3 days a week, with the fourth day being a creative writing lesson. The fifth day is free for extra activities in Preparing.

As far as alternating kiddos by days, you won't want to do that, as the kiddos need to be on the same day of plans in the guide to be able to come together for their "together" days. So, everyone needs to be on Day 1 on the same day, and Day 2 on the same day, etc. Otherwise, you'll miss out on the group design of the guides.

Blessings,
Carrie

OK, I get it about not alternating days with the kids. Thanks for pointing that out. I know once I actually start using it, it will all become crystal clear, right?