Starting with HOD

[AnnR]

Hello, we have two children. We plan to begin homeschooling for kindergarten next year with my oldest. I then plan to have my daughter begin kindergarten the following year. (They are 18 months apart.) I am very excited by the HOD curriculum and definitely plan to use it with our children. My concern is whether or not to try to have them in the same guides as we progress. They work together very well and my oldest is good at encouraging my younger child; however I want to avoid one feeling overwhelmed or the other "bored". What is your suggestion/advice? (P.S. According to the placement chart, my oldest would definitely be ready for LHFHG for kindergarten.) Thank you for your advice!

[StephanieU]

Have you considered buying LHTH now and seeing how your kids work together for school? My 5 and 4yos can be great friends and help each other, but I found they competed for my attention and "to be first" when they were combined in LHTH last year. It helped me decide that even though they are only 20 months apart (with the older one a boy), combining wouldn't be great. So, my plan now is to have them 18 months apart in guides. So, I will have roughly half a year break before repeating a guide. My older two are 23 months apart, but combining them would be impossible. The oldest is just lightyears ahead of her brother because she is such an avid reader. He could probably keep up with her in FMS (a year or two ago he was a lot better at coloring and cutting then she was, but she was better at drawing), but the rest of the LA she leaves him in the dust.

[hs.mama07]

I like Stephanie's idea! A lot of people use LHTH for Kindergarden. If you did this, then your oldest would do LHTH and you would add the kindergarden math and LA options from LHFHG (K math, K fine motor skills, K handwriting, and phonics). For your younger one, you would do LHTH as written without adding anything.
Then the following year, if they combine well and you want them to stay together, you could use LHFHG. The oldest would use the 1st grade options and the younger one would use the K options.

[Rice]

I agree with the previous two posters that using LHTH might be beneficial but I suggest waiting a year to try it:

Start next year (2016-17) using LHTH for K for the oldest and pre-K for the younger (not using HOD this year at all, just reading lots of good books together, exploring the outdoors, living life and learning through play).
If they do well together in LHTH in 2016-17, then the following year (2017-18) you could use LHFHG for Grade 1 and K (so using separate LA and math options for them both, but using LHFHG together for the rest).
However, if you decide it's wiser to separate them, then 2017-18 would be LHFHG for Grade 1 and LHTH again as K (maybe with the K options from LHFHG) for the younger one.

One benefit to waiting till next year for LHTH is that then in following years the younger one would be placed well, whether you continue to keep them placed together or not.
To clarify, if you choose keep them together and to do LHTH this year and LHFHG next year (2016-17) for K for the older one (the younger one would still be pre-K), that leaves the younger one under the recommended age and always striving. If you wait that extra year (doing LHTH in 2016-17 for K and pre-K) they'll both be in the recommended age range, plus they'll be that much further ahead (especially on the "learning to read" end of things) and they will be able to be more independent earlier, which will only make things easier for all of you (especially if more kids come along to take your time instructing in those early, teacher-intensive years). (I don't know what your further family plans are, but this I've learned from experience - the earlier in the guides that they can read independently and then work independently, the better! Even if these are your "only" then you can still read to them and do projects, etc. together as long as they and you desire.)

Whatever you decide, know that there is no "right" or "wrong" answer, only what you see as best for you and your children with the knowledge and wisdom you have at the time you make the decision.

Blessings as you consider and decide!

[Gwenny]

How old are your children now?

[AnnR]

Thank you for all your replies. They are definitely helpful to me and give me things to think about! Gwennie... my children are currently 3 and 4. (The 3 year old is an August baby and the 4 year old is a January baby.)