Just ordered and can't wait to start....

[mommy0908]

I was going to wait until August to start my ds with the LHFHG but I've decided to start early. I need more structure to my days and have been feeling like I've let things slide. He technically would not be starting Kindergarten until August of 2009 because of his birthday being in November. So he just turned 5 this past November but we've been doing K work with him since last August. My question to you moms is what you would recommend me do. Should I just start LHFHG full blast and do it each day as it's set up or should I take it slow and spread it out so it will last a year and a half. If so, how would I exactly do the spreading out? If I do go full blast, is it a big deal if my son is ahead each year by a semester? I see where you can use 1st grade supplements with LHFHG. Is that something I would do after he's finished his K year? I'm not sure exactly how that works and when you add that in. Maybe I'll understand more when I actually have the curriculum in my hands but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I would love a plan!!! Thank you all in advance!

[Mom2Monkeys]

Just have time for a quick note... but I'd say if you did it 4 days a week, it would stretch it out some. Or you could do one page a day instead of two and it would get you through K and 1st....you just do math and phonics daily and I guess handwriting. It won't matter if he's a little ahead now, but as things get harder, his little brain won't be ready for the things you'll come across. Logical thinking just won't be there. I have learned the hard way with my little ones, even though I have one that is VERY gifted, not being too far ahead has become very important even though we're only doing 2nd grade! DD is 7 and in 2nd grade...I had her in 2nd grade materials last year with other curriculum. She's ahead but isn't ready for all of the grade 3 stuff. I should have just had more fun with her. It would have stuck better so we woudln't be going back for review now. She could do Preparing, but I've got her doing Beyond which is two guides back. Too fast and you'll find yourself having to backtrack in many cases. Besides, you'll want to stick with HOD as long as possible and it will end in 8th grade. If you do LHFHG in K and 1st, then one guide per year after that, you'll finish HOD in 8th and be well prepared for high school. (we're all praying Carrie will be led to write for h.s. too!)

I have my 5yo in LHTH right now but have added math and phonics to it. HOD is flexible enough to make it what you want!

That wasn't so short now was it!? LOL

HTH!

[funkmomma71]

Hi and welcome! My dd turned 5 in October of last year, and we have been using LHFHG since July. She is doing great!! But every child is different and what works for one may not be a good fit for another. Since you want to dive right, which I don't blame you one bit, you may want to go at half speed by either doing one page at a time or doing 3 or 4 day-long weeks. If your son starts to show a desire for more you could always go to a full schedule at anytime. As for being ahead, I wouldn't worry too much about that, as I have recently learned, God has a way of slowing you down when it's needed! Try to always keep an eye on your son's capabilities and adapt as necessary. At first my daughter couldn't get enough of school and begged for more work EVERY day, but after a few weeks we were able to strike a balance.

As to the K and 1st grade level stuff, it really is an either or in each area. You can pick the materials and grade level of work for each area of the curriculum. I use only the K materials with my daughter and it is plenty challenging for her. Next year I plan on moving into the next guide and using the 1st grade materials with my dd. Since I am a planner at heart I was worried about the missing year or my daughter being ahead, but I've since relaxed my view of this and am looking ahead only for the big picture and leaving the details until we get there, KWIM.

Blessings,
Nancy

[gratefulmama]

mommy0908 - Congrats, that is so exciting that you ordered LHFHG!!

I was thinking that if you did the 4 day plan for your first two years, where you just pick where you left off last, you'd get him right about "on target" with his age/ grade. (Each guide you'd go over by around 9 weeks)x2, there's your semester. You'd get to start now, yeah , but at a slightly slower pace which cant hurt when you're starting "early", right? Like others have said, you can plan and plan, but only God knows what the future holds and he will get us where we need to be when we need to be there!

Just to clarify, LHFHG is written to be either K or 1st grade only, regardless of how long you take to complete it.

I know you'll enjoy the program! I just started using LHTH and LHFHG this week w/ my 3-1/2 & 5yr boys. We love it!! I'll look forward to hearing more from you in the "Week in Review" threads.
Blessings-

[water2wine]

I have not read the replies but I just wanted to say that if I were you I would start and take it slow. I probably would try half a day by doing the left side and then the right side. The way I continues at half paced was to do each side and sometimes I would add books for the appendix and sometimes I would add phonics to the side that did not have it to balance things out. I wanted them to do phonics daily. I started with a young one and one that was pretty much on target. The reason I felt the freedom to do that is I see what HOD looks like down the line with my older kids and I know there is tons of flexibility and I know for me what my window is for keeping them on track with HOD in my mind.

I wanted to also say that you are just starting out. You have a hsed only child. I would completely not worry about grade level. Your child is probably going to be ahead. I have two of those. My thought is if it gives us an entire year to do what ever we want that would be a gift.

Enjoy LHFHG. You are going to love HOD!

[mommy0908]

Thank you for all your kind words. I really love this forum! I'm feeling more relaxed now and will just do what God leads me to do. I live in fear that I'm not ever doing enough or what if I have to send him to public school and he's not on target. I should know by now that it's the evil one who keeps these thoughts in my head!!! Can't wait to get my curriculum and let everyone know how it's going! God Bless!

[Carrie]

mommy0908,

I just wanted to pop-in and welcome you to the boards! We're glad to have you here. The ladies have done a wonderful job of talking through ideas for using LHFHG with you. I agree that it would be great to start at either half-speed or at full-speed doing a 4-day plan. Both will allow you to enjoy the journey with your child as he grows!

We're thoroughly enjoying LHFHG with our 6 year old this year. We started it last year at half-speed when my little guy had just turned 5 and have been able to move to full-speed this entire year! We pray you'll enjoy LHFHG too!

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

Hi there, and welcome to the board! I am late chiming in here, but I thought I'd second w2w's recommendation. At least for the first week or two, you could go half-speed (I often do that anyway - more for ME than for my dc ). You could do the left side of the plans one day, and the right side of the plans the next day, etc. Then, after a few weeks of this, I guarantee you'll know if your ds is ready to go full-speed ahead and do both the left and right side of plans in one day. I would not feel rushed about this. Making sure your ds thinks of homeschooling as a stress-free, happy thing he's good at doing is the way you want to start your homeschooling journey (and the same goes for us as teachers, btw ). So, if you end up going half-speed all year, that's fine! If you end up going half-speed half the year and then go full-speed from then on out, that's fine too! And, if you end up going full-speed after the first few weeks, that's still fine! I'm posting a link to a thread I just answered about this same thing in case anything there would be helpful too):
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2577

I'm so excited for you and your ds to start! Have fun, LHFHG is a joy to teach!

In Christ,
Julie

[funkmomma71]

Thank you for all your kind words. I really love this forum! I'm feeling more relaxed now and will just do what God leads me to do. I live in fear that I'm not ever doing enough or what if I have to send him to public school and he's not on target. I should know by now that it's the evil one who keeps these thoughts in my head!!! Can't wait to get my curriculum and let everyone know how it's going! God Bless!

I just wanted to say... you're right, you won't be "on target" for PS, anyway; you'll blow past their target! There is no way PS, or private school for that matter can teach your child at exactly the level he or she needs like you can. You know your child best and God has given you all the abilities you need to teach him/her. Whatever you may lack God will provide for. May the Good Lord continue to provide for you and your family. And may Satan's influence be bound up and destroyed.

Nancy