perusing material

[LivinNandByHim]

Wondering what your return policy is... If I were to order a package and after getting it in hand, decide it is not the expected fit... Thank you.

Also, from the chart, my dd who is now 6 and in kindergarten looks like she will fit skill wise in Beyond this fall. But I wonder if I am missing something and that LHFHG would have foundational skill material necessary for 1st grade. She is now learning sight words and sounding out 3 letter words. Knows colors, shapes, simple math, smart, loves to color and write, although she is a little lazy about structure and meeting a specific requirement. (i.e. fitting letters in the lines.) She is easily frustrated and would rather "remember or guess at the words on the page" than sound them out. I expect she will move beyond these obstacles by fall. I think Beyond would be better for her at that time than LHFHG, but.... Dunno. (Right now she is in ps.)

Thanks for your input.

[mrsrandolph]

I would hate for her to miss LHFHG. It is SUCH a precious year of learning...especially biblical truth. BLHFHG takes it a step up. I would really consider starting with LHFHG.

Don't worry about returning. You are going to LOVE it!!!

[krismoose]

Welcome The website says the following re: HOD's return policy:
Q: What is your return policy?
A: You may return any item within 30 days for a full refund (shipping is not refundable) if we receive the items back in new condition. Please pack the box securely to avoid damage in shipping. After 30 days there is a 15% restocking fee for returns. After 60 days, there are no returns.

About Beyond, I was ready to move into it, but paused for 2 reasons. I wanted to do the language arts box as written, or close to it, and my ds is just not writing enough yet to start him on spelling lists or even part of the copywork. I also checked out a few of the recommended storytime titles from the library and looked at the 1st week of questions in the stoytime box, and determined that the stories would be just a bit above his head to get much out of them at this point. So I'm waiting a while, and will probably start LHFHG with him & his younger sister late this spring. We did actually do it already when he was on the young side, and it's normally not recommended to redo a guide, but it will have been 2 years, and I think we can adjust things enough to enjoy it again The devotional was over his head the first time 'round anyhow Have you looked at the first week of plans on the website? They were helpful to me in deciding. I don't think you'd miss anything foundational, but she may just get more out of LHFHG's storytime, devotional and history readings because of her age. We're reading some of the other Thornton Burgess stories (not included in LHFHG) for fun now, and I can see ds really gets the humor much more than before. HTH

[LivinNandByHim]

Thank you all so much for your input. It all makes sense. my 2 dc are in ps right now. My son is 9 and 4th grade. and my daughter is 6 in K. Praying about pulling them out in immediate future. thinking of going ahead with LHFHG and Bigger with extensions for them. If not, in the fall will likely do LHFHG 1st grd. and Preparing (gently) for my ds. Hate to miss Bigger for my son as I understand it has a lot of skill building, and we have only used ACE before (1 yr.).

Is there a lot of preparation to get started? or can I order and open the package and go with it?? We would be just jumping in headlong.

Thanks to all and Blessings!

[countrymom]

In answer to your preparation question, no, there is not a lot of prep. You can take it and go. You will need basic supplies that you will mostly already have. I find thoroughly going through the first two units helps me figure out how I want to do the guide each day in terms of order, etc. I have also found that after actually doing about the first two units I really have the flow down. I don't know what you are thinking in terms of a schooling schedule, but if you pulled your children now I could see you starting with LHFHG (maybe doing the first grade options for right side) and Bigger for your older. That really would be a great start since they have not been home schooled much and you will be building skills for future guides.

[moedertje]

I also think from what you described that your dc would benefit from LHFHG and Bigger. Bigger is very meaty and is a important building block for the rest of the guides. As pp stated, I would also recommend taking the first 2-5 weeks to get into the routine of the guides, perhaps even staggering the beginning of the guides. Perhaps starting Bigger for a few weeks and than adding LHFHG with the younger one. Once you have the routine established, things will move smooth. If your daughter is somewhat of a perfectionist, what might display as getting very frustrated or quickly discouraged, she may enjoy starting with LHFHG with the 1st grade options to ease her into her skills that she needs to focus on such as her reading. She will than proceed with more confidence. We are doing LHFHG for the second time around with my perfectionist ds (who can appear lazy and gets easily frustrated as well). The focus is on his reading and we are taking the rest slow and having lots of fun with it. I am stretching it over K and 1st grade with him as much as I can.
Succes and I hope that HOD will be a blessing to your family, as it has been for my family

[my3sons]

How exciting you are considering homeschooling! HOD offers outstanding curriculum that is pretty easy on us moms. There is basically no prep. I agree with the pp about LHFHG and Bigger Hearts. Unless your ds is a fairly strong reader, does well with writing quite a bit each day, has had grammar basics already, preferably has had cursive, is pretty independent and good at following sequential directions, and finally is somewhat familiar with Charlotte Mason skills of oral narration, dictation, and copywork - BHFHG would be the better starting place rather than PHFHG.

BHFHG teaches some pretty foundational skills. We are doing it right now, and having been down this road before (my oldest is now in RTR), I can see how crucial BHFHG is for helping him to "launch" into the rest of the guides. BHFHG will have you teaching more than PHFHG. However, I'd always, always, always rather teach what I'm intended to teach in an HOD guide, rather than teaching what was intended to be done independently in a guide (as PHFHG could be). This is because if I am teaching something that was supposed to be independent, as that skill progresses each year in each guide, I may be teaching it forever, whereas if I had just properly placed my ds, he could have taken it over beautifully after I'd taught it the first time when it first came up in an earlier HOD guide. Not to mention there will probably be an adjustment period as your dc transition from ps to homeschooling. However, if you look at the placement chart and your ds places squarely in PHFHG, he will probably do fine, as long as he is mature in independent skills as well. We've found the placement chart to be extremely accurate. I think you will love HOD! It is such a wonderful way to homeschool. We are happyily homeschoolling because of HOD!

In Christ,
Julie