I started, but now I question???

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pollo_la
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I started, but now I question???

Post by pollo_la » Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:57 pm

I posted an update below!

Well, I have been looking through the books for LHFHG for the past week and my dd has been VERY curious about them! :D I kept telling her that they are her new school books. She kept asking when we would start and finally on Saturday morning (her daddy was at work for the morning) I decided we would go ahead and dig in. We ended up doing everything for the first day except storytime. She loved all of it, especially the rhymes in motion and the CD song to go along with the Bible memory verse. So all in all it went well. The only hang up I have is this... We did the history first while and it did seem a little bit over her head. Toward the end she said, "this is a long one!" She did well with the devotional. It asked engaging questions throughout, but again it seemed to kind of go over her head. She is definitely ready for begining handwriting instruction, beginning math, and we have been doing phonics for the past 6 months with great success. The only thing is that the "right" side of LHFHG seems a bit over her head at times (although she does love the rhyme and the music part). SO, here is my thought for right now. I still have the LHTH guide from when I did a bit of it before when my dd had just turned 3. She only did parts of about the first 10 units. Should I just go back to LHTH and start at Unit 11, but add in the handwriting, phonics, and then math (using the LHFHG guide for the hands on to go with Singapore)? I was planning to do about 2-3 units a week of LHFHG until the fall and then maybe pick up speed, but perhaps doing LHTH at full speed would be perfect. We will take some brakes through the summer, but will pretty much keep right on going. I figure we can do alternating days with math and handwriting and do phonics 3-4 times a week. If we start at Unit 11 in LHTH then we would finish sometime in the fall and then we could go straight into LHFHG at full speed. Does this sound like a good plan?
Last edited by pollo_la on Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Laurie:
Wife to Daniel since June 2002
Mom to: Odessa (5) using LHFHG and Emerging Readers from BLHFHG,
Sophie (3), Nadia (2), and Elliana (newborn)

funkmomma71
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by funkmomma71 » Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:30 pm

Sounds like a terrific plan! Your dd is only 4, right? She may not be quite ready for all the reading and sitting still that is required for LHFHG, but in a few months that all may change. By doing LHTH now you will be less likely to frustrate both her and you, and she will be better prepared for the more rigorous study involved with LHFHG.

I started my dd in LHFHG when she was a couple months shy of her 5th birthday, she had a lot more trouble sitting still and listening than she does now. I wish that I had taken it slowly at first and built up to a full day of plans, though she was always eager to do more, she wanted more hands on stuff, which I could have provided if I had slowed down. :oops: So, all that to say, take it slow and enjoy your time with your daughter.

Blessings,
Nancy
Nancy
Mommy and teacher to
Dd 12 and DS 8
Doing MTMM & Preparing 2016-2017

pollo_la
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by pollo_la » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:43 pm

Yep, she is 4.5 now. She will be 5 in August. My original plan was to start in the fall, but according to the placement chart she appears to be a perfect fit for LHFHG. I actually think she is "right inbetween" LHTH and LHFHG. She definitely wants more and is ready for more than what LHTH has, but is just not quite ready for the "more advanced" reading yet.
Laurie:
Wife to Daniel since June 2002
Mom to: Odessa (5) using LHFHG and Emerging Readers from BLHFHG,
Sophie (3), Nadia (2), and Elliana (newborn)

Amey
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Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 10:54 pm
Location: Jalisco, Mexico

Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by Amey » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:00 pm

I would go back to LHTH. I am going to be using LHTH with my son who turns 5 in June for K as he is quite a wiggler and not ready for those longer readings either. If she seems right between the two, I would start out with LHTH and just add in the phonics and math. :D
Amey
Missionary Mama in Mexico to Benjamin 02, Averic 04 and Deacon 07 and our first GIRL, Phoebe, born August 16, 2009
using Bigger Hearts for my 2nd grade son, finished Beyond last year for 1st
Come visit our family website! http://www.familyafair.com

my3sons
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by my3sons » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:09 pm

Hi Laurie! Last year, when I began LHFHG with my ds it took him about 3-4 weeks to learn the skill of listening attentively to history. Then, it was a perfect match for him. If you continued half-speed with LHFHG, I do think she would grow into it within a month or so. The LHTH with phonics, math, and handwriting would work too - but I'm thinking ahead here (maybe too far :lol: ) but I'm thinking that it would be nice if you weren't always off the daily HOD plans for the math like you will be if you start the LHFHG math plans along with LHTH. The phonics and handwriting wouldn't be that way - they're both kind of a "just do the next thing" deal - and maybe the being off in math wouldn't bug you (could just be me :wink: ). But also, I'm just thinking if you look at the placement chart and think she fits best in LHFHG that you may find yourself adding and adding to LHTH because it's a bit young for her - in which case, it would just be easier to do LHFHG half-speed and let her grow into it. However, this is totally your call - you will know best for your dd! :) I just wanted to encourage you that my 4.5 yo that started LHFHG half-speed needed about a month to settle into it - and then it was a perfect fit. Probably either option would work fine.

In Christ,
Julie :D
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Candice
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by Candice » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:27 pm

Laurie,

I was in the same position as you and I posted about it as well. I wanted to share the post in hopes that you might gain some more wisdom.
I did end up going ahead and beginning LHFHG instead of re-starting LHTH because the bottom line is that my daughter placed the best in the LHFHG program. I too felt that my daughter was "in the middle" of the two programs and that we could have gone either direction, but like I said, she definitely placed the best with Little Hearts.
We are doing great with Little Hearts and I am glad that is the path I chose. And just FYI my daughter just turned five at the end of January. If you decide to go with LHFHG just give it some time to settle with the two of you and soon it will fit nicely. I know another aspect that bothered me was letting go of LHTH knowing that I did not finish it all the way through and that bothered me. I now realize however that I have to focus on my daughter's needs and not my particular attachments to programs. I also keep in mind that I will get to return to LHTH when my youngest daughter gets a bit older. Then I will start from the beginning and be sure to follow through this tme!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have learned some lessons along the way! :D

Here is the post:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2481


Candice :D

pollo_la
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by pollo_la » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:52 pm

Thank you so much everyone for your advice!! Having your words of encouragement and wisdom really does help. Well, I think I will give LHFHG some more time then. :D Julie, the math thing definitely would bother me, but I know that at some point I will have to deal with one of my girls doing math that does not match the guide (my younger two are just 16 months apart, so they will be together, but a year apart in math). Anyway, my dd does really seem to like it, that is for sure. She is also asking lots of questions and is engaged in everything. Tonight she asked to do the rhymes in motion again. She absolutely LOVES it, and her younger sisters do to. Also, during the time we listened to the CD the other day, she was even acting out the verse! The verse was Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to me..." I put the song on repeat and let her dance and sing. Well, then she grabbed one of her dolls and placed it on a chair. She said the doll was "Jesus." She then proceeded to come up to Jesus as the music said, "let the little children come." It was so cute!

Okay, so I will keep going. Tomorrow we will be starting with story time since that is the one thing we did not get to on "Day 1." I'll keep you posted on how our day goes.

ETA: I don't feel too bad about not completing LHTH. I know that my younger two will be doing it in a few years, and yes, this time I WILL finish it. Actually, that would be another reason not to go that route now.That way I will be "fresh" for LHTH and my older dd may actually enjoy tagging along with her sisters when they do it.
Laurie:
Wife to Daniel since June 2002
Mom to: Odessa (5) using LHFHG and Emerging Readers from BLHFHG,
Sophie (3), Nadia (2), and Elliana (newborn)

Carrie
Site Admin
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by Carrie » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:10 pm

Laurie,

I just wanted to encourage you that it took time for my little sweetie to grow into the readings in LHFHG too. :D The first week of history readings is tougher than the weeks that follow, due to it starting with History for Little Pilgrims (which requires a higher listening level). :D Once you get into weeks 2 and 3 and forward, the readings will be Bible stories, which are easier to understand (and shorter to listen to... especially if you are using The Family-Time Bible). :D

My wiggly little guy eventually settled into LHFHG very well, and we're almost done now! :wink: So, just give her some time to grow into it. You could always bump it to half-speed for awhile if needed.

Blessings,
Carrie

water2wine
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by water2wine » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:54 am

I ditto what Carrie is saying. I started with my youngest being about 3 1/2 and took it very slow. We did half a page for quite a while but now she is ready for full force and then some. For us it was a good decision. She was ready for it with phonics and math. We did those more often than every other day as she was ready for it. LHTH would not have been a good fit for her I do not think because she already knew her letter sounds and was reading some CVC words as well as doing some addition and subtraction. Going slow at her pace really paid off for us. HTH :D
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)

my3sons
Posts: 10702
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by my3sons » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:17 pm

First, I'm so glad you've come to a decision, and I think your little honey will grow into it wonderfully over time. :D Second, I'm glad I'm not the only person that would find the math being off a bit bothersome, just to know I'm not totally overboard in my thinking about that. :lol: Third, I LOVE this story you shared:
pollo_la wrote: Anyway, my dd does really seem to like it, that is for sure. She is also asking lots of questions and is engaged in everything. Tonight she asked to do the rhymes in motion again. She absolutely LOVES it, and her younger sisters do to. Also, during the time we listened to the CD the other day, she was even acting out the verse! The verse was Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to me..." I put the song on repeat and let her dance and sing. Well, then she grabbed one of her dolls and placed it on a chair. She said the doll was "Jesus." She then proceeded to come up to Jesus as the music said, "let the little children come." It was so cute!
I imagine Jesus smiling in heaven over this! That is just too precious! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

pollo_la
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:21 am
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Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by pollo_la » Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:58 am

I just wanted to post an update!

I definitely did make the right decision to continue on with LHFHG. I guess I really shouldn't have "freaked out" after just one day. :lol: Actually, I went and read some past threads about LHFHG last night and it seems that many people have some attention type issues in the very beginning when they start out. Actually, I would say that my dd is doing very well. We did storytime yesterday and my dd LOVED Reddy Fox. I did have to explain some things to her as we went, and I know she didn't "get" everything, but overall I think she got the basic idea of it. The most important thing is that she liked it and was actually begging me to continue on when we finished the first chapter!! :D We did our first page of Handwriting yesterday (we did a Rod and Staff page the first day). We are using HWT because she is a lefty and I've heard really good things about using HWT for left handers. It went well. We did another history lesson today and it went better than the first. No, she did not quite get everything, but this is just an introduction afterall anyway. We then did the "art" after the history reading and she loved that. It really did help to cement some of the learning from the history we had read!

Anyway, I do feel that LHFHG is a perfect fit for us. I am looking forward to each and every activity "box" that we get to do together, and my dd seems just as excited about it as me. I now realize that had I gone back to LHTH I would have just kept adding more and more to it, because she is really beyond that point now.

Anyway, that's our update for now. I will make sure to post on the "week in review" thread and maybe even post some pics there later this week!
Laurie:
Wife to Daniel since June 2002
Mom to: Odessa (5) using LHFHG and Emerging Readers from BLHFHG,
Sophie (3), Nadia (2), and Elliana (newborn)

my3sons
Posts: 10702
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by my3sons » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:29 am

Thanks for the update, Laurie! :D :D :D I'm celebrating with you and your dd today!!! :)

In Christ ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8128
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: I started, but now I question???

Post by Carrie » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:48 am

Thanks so much for the update! :D It really helps to have the wonderful ladies on the board to come to when we need wise counsel, doesn't itl! Have a blessed week! :wink:

Blessings,
Carrie

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