Combining children

[gmhaynes]

I am a planner and am thinking ahead a bit. I have 4 children, with the oldest in 1st grade using Beyond and 2 of the younger children using LHTH. I love HOD and really don't want to switch to another curriculum. I am trying to figure out how to possibly combine some of the children in years to come. Maybe once the 2nd child is in 2nd grade, combining him and our oldest, who would be in 4th. All of the children are 2 years apart, and I am not sure I want to do 4 different guides as time goes on. Any thoughts on this one? Has anyone else combined them using the extension packs for older children?

Thanks!
Mary

[Tansy]

I'm bumping this to the top cause it has no replies, I think the reason no one has answered, is its difficult to see your children's ranges. It's like math problem the kids are 2 years apart... if child 1 = 6 then the child not mentioned in a curriculum is a baby?
oldest is 1st grade... guessing 6
2 younger kids .. 4 and 2
last child... 6 months??

Maybe you could give the kids age ranges and it will help the ladies help you

[Mommamo]

I'll just tell you what we're doing. Maybe it will help some. I have a just turned 7 year old (her birthday was yesterday!) who just finished Beyond (today in fact). I'm starting Bigger with her either next week or the week after (depends on how organized I am this weekend but we have a birthday party so I'm not think I'll get much done). I also have a 4 1/2 yo boy and a 2 1/2 yo girl. We're also expecting a baby in April.

So....

We're doing LHTH at half speed with the 2 and 4 yos. Actually, it should be more accurately described as 1/3 speed since we're taking each unit over 3 weeks. I'm also doing the entire R&S preschool series with him, including the ones HOD uses with LHFHG in the K options. I figure those will take him quite a while to finish as he's really not going very quickly through them. A page or so a day. The 2 yo just does straight LHTH. I have also added some little activities that go with the letter of the unit for them to do independently while I work with big sis who will be doing half pace, 4 day per week Bigger.

Then next year (2011-2012) it will be my middle child's K year. I'll add in the K options from HOD for him-math, handwriting, phonics, if I feel like he's ready. The then 3 yo will still keep plugging along with LHTH. I'll probably add in the pre-R&S preschool books for her then. But maybe not. LHTH is certainly enough. Meanwhile, my oldest will keep plugging along with Bigger, probably at half speed and moving to full speed by the end of the school year.

The next year they'll go into LHFHG 4 days/week, and my oldest will do Preparing. My baby will then be a toddler and will be just hanging out with us.

So basically, my plan is to keep my middle two combined. There's really no way to combine the two older ones in my family. They're just too far apart, but my middle two are like two peas in a pod. They work really well together. Eventually, yes, I'll be working out of three guides. But by then, my oldest will be mostly independent (each guide gets more independent as you progress) so I think it will definitely be doable by then.

I hope something in there helps!

[Bramble]

I'm in a similar situation and it makes my head spin whenever I try to think it through. LOL! So I have pretty much given up on it. All my babies are 2 yrs. apart (22-25 mos. between each!) My oldest is 9 and using Bigger Hearts. My 7 and 5 yo's are using Little Hearts together, but this is our first year with HOD. I'm not sure how I would have kept my 7 yr. old out of Little Hearts so that I could keep them together. I have thought lately about slowing the pace of Little Hearts down so I won't have a 7 yr. old doing Bigger, but I just can't. They beg to do all their school and they know if anything is missing. I am thinking maybe we'll do half-speed Beyond, but then who knows? Since he will have done HOD from the start and is a very motivated guy, he may be ready for Bigger at 7. This is why I just have to play it year by year.

My 3 yr. old girl is highly motivated and while it would be ideal to combine her with her younger brother, I just do not see holding her back. I love HOD and don't really want to find something else to fill in with while waiting for little brother to be ready for Little Hearts. No way will my girl fit in Little Hands at 5. She is using and loving it now! Then, there is no guarantee that little brother will be ready for Little Hearts at 5, and again, I just do not see holding her back to wait on him.

All this rambling to say, I can see where I will eventually be using 3-4 guides (or more? LOL) but I think it will be fine with the way Carrie has the older kids working independently. I try not to borrow worries. I will be interested, though, to see what advice you get in this thread. Thanks for asking!

[Larissa]

I have 4 children and they are all very similar in years apart too. (an average of 2 years apart)
I have gone over it and over it a thousand times, but cannot figure out how I could possibly combine any of my children. I love each of the guides so much that I don't want to water it down for one and beef it up for another. I want to take each child through each guide when they fit most appropriately into the guide instead of trying to make the guide work for them by watering it down or increasing the work load.
That's just me, though. I love the idea of combining ... I love the idea of not having to use 4 different guides ... but I just can't figure out how to do it properly.

So, my plan is to do 4 different guides. Right now I am doing 3 guides. I am doing Bigger with my 8 yo, Little Hearts with my almost 6 yo, and Little Hands with my almost 4 yo. My youngest is soon to be 2.

I have also found that using separate guides with them actually gives me one on one time that is very special. So, I just have to plan my day efficiently to get everything done.

[my3sons]

Awesome responses here already! What are you thinking after reading them? I'd like to know your dc's specific ages too, when you get the chance. I'd guess your oldest child should stay separate. It seems like the oldest typically just soars with school and would be kept back by slowing down for the next to join him. I'm speaking stereotypically here though, so if I'm off, you'll know better. I'd guess I'd try to have my oldest clipping along, making sure to teach him good independent skills as he goes (i.e. use the guide as his own, follow a routine, check off the boxes as he finishes, be responsible for getting out his own books and putting them away, etc.). Then, I'd see how the next 2 dc grow and develop. Chances are, they will be able to be combined. If they are not good at working together or are too far apart in abilities, I'd separate them out, and plan to combine the youngest 2. We are doing 3 guides now and finding our days very enjoyable and manageable. But, all of my dc are very accurately placed in the guides they are doing. I think this makes a big difference. Here are some threads you may find helpful reading as you consider combining:

To combine or not to combine:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5290

How to decide whether to combine or not:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7019&p=51157#p51157

HTH!
In Christ,
Julie