Combining **Updated**

[billswife]

Hi! I'm currently using Little Hearts with my 6 year old dd. Next year, my 5 year old dd will be joining us. I'm thinking that I could do Beyond Little Hearts with both of them next year. I would just do the Kindergarten math, workbooks, etc. for the 5 year old and then she could join my other dd for the rest of the subjects in Beyond. This would make my life a lot easier if I could combine them as much as possible. Has anyone else done this? Did it work out all right?


**She fits more into the Little Hearts placement, than Beyond. She currently doesn't listen to read alouds without pictures. Right now I just let her do her own thing. If she wants to look at 100 easy lessons and do a little in her Explode the code, then she does. If she doesn't want to, I don't make her. She does love to do the Do It Carefully, Finding the Answers, and A Reason for Handwriting workbooks and the rhymes in motion with her sister. I'm not sure if she would enjoy repeating them next year. My worry is pushing her to hard, and not challenging her sister enough. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

[tiffanieh]

I haven't done that exactly but my K/1st grader this year have done LHFHG together and next year for 1st/2nd we'll be doing Beyond together. I don't see why you couldn't do what you have planned. Has your 4 year old been participating at all this year with the 6 year old in LHFHG? Sounds perfect to me!

[my3sons]

Hi! I'm currently using Little Hearts with my 6 year old dd. Next year, my 5 year old dd will be joining us. I'm thinking that I could do Beyond Little Hearts with both of them next year. I would just do the Kindergarten math, workbooks, etc. for the 5 year old and then she could join my other dd for the rest of the subjects in Beyond. This would make my life a lot easier if I could combine them as much as possible. Has anyone else done this? Did it work out all right?


Thanks

Ann - Could you take a peek at the placement chart for your 5 yo (especially page 1), and give a bit of information about your dd's reading, writing, math? That would really help us be able to advise you better. Also, could you please share if dd is able to listen to read-alouds with few pictures and more words on the page? Here's a link to the placement chart:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Then, we'll all chime in and feel so much better about advising.

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

Ann,

I'd love to know a bit more about your 5 year old too! So, if you get a chance to pop back in to let us know how well your little sweetie listens to read-alouds without pictures especially and where your little one is at on the placement chart that would really help!

If you did place your 5 year old in Beyond, you'd want to go at half-speed to allow that little honey time to grow up a bit.

Blessings,
Carrie

[billswife]

I've updated up above.

[Carrie]

Ann,

Thanks so much for sharing a bit more about your younger daughter! To be able to successfully combine your kiddos in Beyond (even for the history and storytime portions), your 5 year old would need to be further along in her language arts, writing, and listening skills than she happens to be a this stage of her life. When kiddos are first learning to read, write, and listen to lengthier read-alouds it is a growing season during which it is often very hard to combine with an older sibling.

I'm noticing in your signature that your 4 year old is currently doing LHTH, so I'm wondering if she's had a chance to finish that all the way through yet? If not, then that is what I'd have her finish first. Next, she is definitely more at the LHFHG level for the time being, so I'd recommend doing LHFHG at full-speed with her this upcoming year to get her listening skills up to the level needed to join her sister (if that is your goal). If not, then little sis can just take her time going through LHFHG and could do it at half-speed if that better fits her personality and her readiness for formal school.

If your ultimate goal is to combine, then your older child could continue on to Beyond but could do it at half-speed in order to give little sister a chance to grow up and join big sis the following year. If little sis makes the needed progress to join big sis, then they could combine for the rest of Beyond the following year. If little sis still isn't ready, then big sis could go forward at full-speed in Beyond and not be waiting on little sis.

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

Ann,

I was going to suggest the same thing Carrie did. I think your 4 yo dd just needs a year to grow in her LA skills, and after that, she'll probably be able to be combined with your older dd. I think it's important not to rush her into Bigger until she's sound in her reading/writing/listening skills, because then she'd be on that track of being too young for each program from here on out. If you do Beyond half-speed with your 6 yo dd, you could have your younger dd join her whenever she finished LHFHG. Your 6 yo is on the very young end of Beyond too, so there's no rush to get through Beyond. LHFHG and Beyond will be easy programs to use at the same time - both are very time conscious and can easily be done together. I think your 2 little honeys can then "meet in the middle" , and you'd be on track for a nice path of combining.

In Christ,
Julie