Independent studies?

[MamaPajama]

In which guide do the students really start doing some serious independent work? I'm getting ahead of myself; I'm completely aware of that. But since we're starting HOD with our DS(6) in Beyond for 1st and our DD(4) in LHTH for PreK, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to foresee how I could ever easily combine any of my children. I could definitely see it if we were coming into it in later years from another program or if they were each 1 year apart instead of 2, but I just don't see it working the way we're going into it. I really wouldn't want to hold any of them back (unless they have a hard time keeping up, of course), rush any of them ahead, or skip anything. SO...

Hypothethically speaking (since I realize that nobody really knows what the future holds for their family), in the future I could potentially have:
*DS- 6th grade in the Age of Exploration and Invention/Physical Science guide
*DD- 4th in CTC
*DD- 2nd in Bigger
*AND DS- PreK -OR- Kindergarten in either LHTH -OR- LHFHG (depending on the little guy's maturity and skill level when he turns 5)

We already have the materials for Beyond and LHTH, and I'm set on doing both of them at regular pace this coming year. I don't really want any advice on combining. I really just want to know if the above hypothetical situation is even possible without poor Mom going crazy! At those points, how much independent work would my kids be doing and how chaotic would our days be?

[3boysandagirl]

I don't have any advice for you, just giggling that you're planning 6 years ahead. I'm struggling to plan tomorrow.

[MamaPajama]

I don't have any advice for you, just giggling that you're planning 6 years ahead. I'm struggling to plan tomorrow.

I do that. LOL!

[pjdobro]

I think Preparing is the first guide where they actually do some subjects independently, and Bigger is the training ground for independence. From what I've read here on the board, it sounds like Bigger is the program that takes the most teacher time because it is the one that trains them more to be independent as well as has more of a workload. I think in the scenario that you listed, you will be fine. Your older two will be well trained by then to do a lot of independent work and your youngest will be doing a quick program so most of your teaching time would be with the child in Bigger. I know I've seen some posts about the teacher time that it takes for each program but I am not adept enough at the search feature to find them. Just remembering off the top of my head though, I think I remember Julie saying that CtC takes about 1 1/2 hours of teacher time so I would imagine that those programs above it will probably require even less teacher time. HOD is designed to be able to do multiple programs at various stages so I'm sure it will work out fine. Remember too that God never gives us more than we can handle and He'll make it all work out for good.