More on Merging

[mrsrandolph]

I have mentioned that, at some point, I would like to combine my 5 year old and 8 year old into one guide. My 5 year old is very very bright, but he is immature and his fine motor skills still need a lot of work. I typically start LHTHG at 6. My 8 year old is on Unit 26 of LHFHG.

One option is when the 5 year old turn 6, start over LHFHG with the 6 year old and adding (then) 6 year old bother. I don't kow that 8 year old's attention to/retention of the history has been great anyway. I don't know that she'd be thrilled to re-read Burgess. I could, of course, keep her in Math, spelling, and critical thinking on her level.

The other option is to start with the 8 year old at half speed on LHFHG and start (then) 6 year old on LHFHG at full speed until they have caught up with each other.

The last option I see is to keep them in separate guides throughout their schooling. This means I would eventually be running 3 guides and 2 levels of DITHOR as well as 4 levels of math. AGH!

Thoughts?

[pjdobro]

I'm not great on to comment on combining, but my first thought is that 3 years is a pretty big age difference to combine. I suppose if the abilities are similar then it is possible, but how do you think they will do together? Will the 8 year old feel ok having her brother who is 3 years younger in the same guide? I'm thinking if you did combine that I would do the second scenario slowing the older one down to allow the other to catch up. I don't think I would have a dc repeat a guide after doing it thoroughly.

I know it can sound overwhelming to have 3 guides going and I personally only do one guide, but I know there are many ladies here who do 3 guides with no problems. The really great thing is that as the guides continue, the older dc become so much more independent that it makes adding in more guides much easier. By the time you would be adding in the 3rd guide, your older two would be quite a bit more independent so that would really help. Those are a few of my thoughts but only as an observer not as a combiner. Hopefully some of those combining can give you some of their thoughts.

[mom23]

I have a 6 yo that I'm pretty sure could handle Beyond. I think I'd do LHFHG half speed with the older one, starting it full speed with the younger. Then, when the older is ready for Beyond, you could evaluate and either continue LHFHG full speed with the younger until he/she was caught up; or, possibly jump into Beyond half speed together with the older sibling.

[StillJulie]

I'm a fan of separate guides.

Even this year (five different guides) it's working well for us. The first week was rough, but now we've got a system down, and it's working very well for us. I've actually been thinking that I probably will eventually even separate out my last two from each other (this year they're doing Sonlight P4/5 together). I like the individual time with each child, and I like being able to really focus on them, at their proper level.

[MelInKansas]

I looked at that right about that stage for my first and second DDs. How to get them together. At that stage I couldn't do it. Fine motor skills is what held the younger one back, there was no way to push her ahead and really have her getting everything out of the guide she should be. Notice they are still only 1 1/2 guides apart.

And I have found both of my girls to be thriving and growing very well with two separate guides, and at this point the 2nd is not going to catch up to her sister anytime soon. I think I would be holding my oldest waaaaay back to let her sister catch up. It has worked very well to just let each of them keep going at their own pace.

To combine, I think the best way to work it would be to have the older one do something else for a year. LHFHG 1/2 speed for an 8YO, unless that was just developmentally where she was at, isn't challenging her and making her grow. Not that she's not still doing plenty of learning, and of course you know your children best. I know older guides are much easier to combine, with extensions and the fact that you can have each child analyze everything on their own level. Plus the range in skills is not nearly as wide.