When and Where to Start (ages 6 and 4)

[HSMom03]

Hi!! I have been considering HOD for awhile now, I am still being drawn to it - just haven't acted on it yet . I have a few options at this point and really need some help figuring this out. I have a 6, 4 and 1.75 year old. I am thinking about either starting HOD right now or waiting until the Fall.

If I start HOD now (Jan 2014):
6yo - LHFHG w/1st grade options
4yo - wait until next Jan. or start LHTH now

If I start HOD in the Fall (Sept 2014):
6.75yo - Beyond
4.75yo - LHTH
2.5yo - LHTH

Or I could do this in the Fall (also Sept 2014):
6.75yo - LHFHG w/1st grade options
4.75yo - LHFHG
2.5yo LHTH 1/2 speed (or wait a year)

I'm sure this is something I need to figure out as the Mom, but I would love some feedback anyway. Just need help sorting this out. Where can I find info on whether or not to combine? I would think I should combine the older 2 if I combine anyone bc they are a little closer in age. However, I do worry that the 3rd will eventually feel left out, if the older 2 are combined. Also, not sure how to choose between LHFHG w/1st grade options or Beyond for my oldest. So the main things I am trying to figure out are when and where to start (now or Fall, Little Hearts or Beyond?)! Hope this is not too confusing, thanks!

[Nealewill]

If it were me, and you want to start now, I would go ahead and start now. Did you check the placement chart at all? I would look at your 6yo child and see where they fall on the placement chart. You could do either LHFHG or BLHFHG. That would be your best place to start in choosing the package for the oldest child. If your child places solidly in Beyond, then I would get the Beyond level. Then you could start LHFH now with the 4 year old child. This you will probably finish Beyond when your 4 year old child is finishing LHFH and then you would move to Bigger and Little around the same time.

I have heard a lot of parents who say doing a guide back to back is hard on mom. So this way you would have a guide in between each child and then you aren't doing the same guide year after year with each child. Good luck and you will have to let use know what you choose

[MelInKansas]

You definitely want to start with the placement chart. I would look at it with each of your children's skill set NOW in mind. If you wait until the fall with your 6YO then what will you do in the meantime? That would affect my answer. If you are needing something to go with right now and would just be filling time with something else for this semester, then I would say start HOD now! There really is no reason to wait. But if you really want to combine them, you would have to wait with the 6YO until the younger one can do LHFHG. I would say that for young ages like this, combining may be more trouble than keeping them separate. You would have to add in so much, and doing the guide as written is so easy. I once wanted to combine my older two, and I see how combining could work once we get further down the line, but for now, it does not. Their skill level and attention span are just too different.

[bethelmommy]

Hi there,

First, I recommend you check the placement chart and see where your two oldest kiddos fall. Also, whether they are boys, girls or a mix might help determine if combining is possible, as well as how they seem to work together. My 7 year old ds and 6 year old dd work very well together and are best friends . They are also only about a year apart in skill level across the board, so combining has worked out well for them. Anyway, I will check back in once you have a chance to share a little more about your kiddos. Welcome to the HOD board!

[StephanieU]

Also when you are placing, maturity should be considered. If a child is advanced in reading, writing, and math, that doesn't necessarily mean Beyond is a great option. Being able to sit still to reading with no pictures is also key. LHFHG storytime has your read chapter books with basically no pictures (maybe 5-10 pictures per book). You read 3-5 pages a day normally - one chapter. Beyond storytime is then even longer readings normally. History and Bible is another area where you will want to determine if they are ready for Beyond or LHFHG. These aren't tired to the 3Rs, so you can advance on the 3Rs without pushing too hard in areas where maturity really do make a difference.
Personally, I would be tempted to start LHFHG with the 6 yo now. Then start LHTH with the 4 yo in the fall, adding in phonics, math and fine motor skills from LHFHG if/when that child is ready for them. Then you would have them about 1.5 years apart in guides, with would give you some break between restarting a guide.
I have gone back and forth on combining my younger two. One thing I am finding is that it is hard to make sure both kids get a chance to answer questions and get the same attention when combined. The older one wants to answer everything, so the younger one isn't getting as much attention. Some times I think it would be easier to have each child in a different guide. But, then the thought of 3 guides running together might not be great either, since there would probably be only 1 gap between all three.

[momof3kids]

Hi,
I was pretty much in your position this time last year! So, thought I would share what helped me to figure out what to do. I would buy LHTH now, and start now with your 4yo. Try it out for a few months or so, get the feel of HOD. It is such a sweet and wonderful program. I actually started it around last March with my 4yo, while he was still in a ps preschool program 2 days a week. It was helpful though because it gave me an idea of what HOD, and HSing would be like. After you try LHTH, then I would really look at the placement chart, as others have mentioned for your 6yo. My 6yo fit into Beyond, and we are now just over half way through. It has been a good fit with the ER set for him, but he is an advanced reader. If your 6yo fits into either Beyond or LHFHG, then start there. I know a lot on here do LHFHG with the first grade options and it works well (I will prob do that for my second son down the road, just because of the difference in his skill level)
We have had a good first year doing Beyond and LHTH. And looking forward to starting Bigger and LHFHG next year (and adding LHTH for little sis! ) I was convinced at first that I should combine...I think many are. But, there is a vast difference in my first two boys' skill level, so I knew that wouldn't work well. I may at some point combine my second and third born..?.. Not sure, but it is not doable now as my just turned 5yo is ready for more and I want to keep him progressing.
I think if they are close in age, and level that combining works well....but just too big of a difference for use...plus, being new, I didn't want to have to change things. I like just doing what the guide says, and don't have to worry about anything.

Anyway, rambling...HTH!

[HSMom03]

Wow! Thank you for all of these amazing replies! I have been wanting to get back here so I could finally reply myself. I am sorry I haven't been able to until now! I did read everyone's responses right away though, and have been thinking and praying about this.

As for the placement chart, at first it seemed like my 6yo fit squarely into... BOTH Little Hearts and Beyond - haha! Upon further examination though, I really think he would probably fit more squarely into Beyond. Since he is a young 6 still, I am sure that we would do fine with LHFHG w/the 1st grade options IF I started now. I talked to DH though and he would prefer if I waited until the Fall. Even though I would really like to switch to HOD now, we really do have more than enough to finish out the school year. It is just that I am really unhappy with our school year. The planning and pulling together is overwhelming and discouraging. By the time I get to teach it, I'm not too excited about it and I think that rubs off on the kids. I knew I should have chosen Little Hearts for this year! Beyond is probably going to be the best way to go in the Fall, and I am REALLY sad that my older one will miss out on Little Hearts. For example, we have Devotions for the Children's Hour which we randomly read from for the 1st time the other day and we LOVED it! Sure I could continue to read through it the rest of the year, but I am sure that HOD has it planned out and tied into the lessons way better than I ever could! Plus the rest of LHFHG just looks so fun. He could really use the fine motor skill activities in LHFHG. Also, I would much prefer a creation to present day overview for 1st grade and then Early American History for 2nd grade. Maybe that won't work for us though, since he is on the older end for his grade. I really am going to need to go with Beyond in the Fall since he will be turning 7 (and places in Beyond even now). I would not hesitate to use LHFHG with a 6yo 1st grader, but I probably shouldn't with a 7yo 1st grader. Maybe I could find LHFHG used and start now, planning to sell some of the curriculum that we currently own.

Oh and a little more about my kiddos... they are all boys! Initially I was thinking that I could easily combine the older 2 because my oldest, while he is very smart and able, and probably right on or above for his age, he is not crazy about "doing school". He just wants to play all day! My 4yo however, WANTS and LOVES to "do school". He is always begging for it. He is not ready for longer readings or books without pictures though (well not now, but maybe in the Fall!).

Thank you momof3kids for sharing that idea about starting LHTH now. That does sound like a good idea!

Oh, I don't know. You all have been so helpful! Definitely let me know if you have anymore advice!! Hope you are all still checking this thread. I will reply quicker next time.

[HSMom03]

Just curious, has anyone done Little Hearts with a 7yo?

[bethelmommy]

Just curious, has anyone done Little Hearts with a 7yo?

We started LHFHG just before ds turned 6 and finished when he was 7.5. It worked out fine. He needed the fine motor skills practice that LHFHG schedules and the copy work scheduled in Beyond would have been too much. Other than the writing, he pretty much placed in Beyond at the time. To beef up his 1st grade year he did the math, spelling, and emerging readers from the Beyond guide. This year he is in the Beyond guide, but does math from Bigger and DITHOR level 2/3. He also does the grammar scheduled in Beyond at an accelerated pace so he can move on to R&S grammar in the next few weeks. If I had to do it over again, the only thing I would do different is to add the Beyond grammar as scheduled to his 1st grade year as he could have easily handled it. I just didn't know that at the time .

My dd, while not necessarily a school lover, refuses to be left behind her brother in school. I tried. However, they are best friends and do pretty much everything together. When I started teaching ds to read at 5, she insisted on her own lessons at 3.5. One time during LHFHG I discussed with her the option of splitting them up because she was having trouble with focus and attention span (and she was technically still prek). She was horrified and immediately improved her schoolwork ethic and we have not had a problem since. So, if you have a go getter second child and a more laid back first child, combining may work for you. It is definitely a lot of fun to have them do activities and projects together and I love how what they are learning comes out in their creative play. Anyway, I think either option of combining or not combining is feasible. It's just a matter of what will work best for your family. HTH

[HSMom03]

bethelmommy ~ THANK YOU! I am feeling really good right now about combining them in LHFHG in the fall and adding the work that you mentioned (from Beyond) for my older child. My oldest would be in LHFHG from 6.75y to 7.5y, pretty similar to your situation. Also, the way it is with your 2 kiddos is exactly how it is with mine! My 2nd child always insists on doing big brothers school work. He is definitely a go getter, while my first is more laid back (you worded that perfectly). I wouldn't say either of them are "ahead" or "behind", just different personalities. My 2nd has even been demanding that I teach him to read as well (my oldest started reading around 4.75y). We just do it for fun, with no expectation on my part. I don't think he is REALLY ready to read but you never know when he'll start picking it up! And if he's the one who wants it, then why not? I feel like I finally have a good decision and plan to go by. Now I can stop spinning my wheels!

Thanks again, everyone!