MFW to HOD

[Homeschooling6]

I love the look of HOD. I came upon HOD's site because I was interested in DITHOR and I made the mistake of looking around and love the Guides but I have already planned and purchased MFW Creation to the Greeks.

Have any of you been there done that

Have any of you switched from using MFW? We have used Adv & ECC from MFW and I told myself that we where going to stick with MFW but I love how easy the HOD's Guides are.

I'm thinking of purchasing the Guides for Little Hands & Little Hearts for my younger students to see if I would be able to handle the load. If I can I can purchase the books we don't have. We have a lot of them already.

I might purchase "Preparing" also. The Guide looks like it has lots of ideas for the time period of Creation to the Greeks.

I'm probably biting off more than I could chew but if anything the guides just have lots of good info to add into whatever we are currently learning.

Thanks for listening

[Tiffini]

OOOhhh, Homeschooling6, I have so been where you are. You can check out this post for a long thread with great advice re: switching from MFW to HOD. It is at http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/view ... ht=mfw+ecc

I used MFW 1st Grade, ADV, and ECC. I was completely planning on going ahead with CtG next year. I ran across HOD while looking for some preschool stuff for my sil. Well, I never looked back really after seeing what HOD has to offer. I have loved MFW and my kids are really sad to end our year with ECC - it has been great. But, HOD has even more of what I am looking for. And to be honest, I was not thrilled with the books chosen to use for CtG next year and was not feeling really excited about it, but did not know of any better alternative until I found HOD. Please understand that I am not putting down MFW - it has truly blessed our family. HOD is just a better fit for us.

Another big factor for me was that I finally chose to teach to my younger kids and beef up for my older. HOD makes that super simple to do. I am so excited to do this next year. You can see a thread on that at http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/view ... ht=mfw+ecc

I am going with Bigger for my kids next year as it really looks as though they approach Am. History much differently than MFW ADV and uses totally different books. The extension pack is perfect for my 10 yo to use while my 8 yos will be using the regular books. I cannot wait to get started!!

I'm not trying to sway you in any way , but if you would decide to make a switch, I know that MFW material is fairly easy to resell.

[Homeschooling6]

Tiffini,
Thanks for your post. I followed the link and it was very helpful.

I have been so excited to start CtG because it uses the Bible as the spine, but then I found HOD and it looks so good and easier for our family.

We have done 2yrs of Ancients using SL, but that was when my oldest was 6yr & 7yrs. Then we used MFW Adv. combined with WP American Story for some U.S. History and this year we are using ECC.

I am looking at Preparing...for my 8, 9 & 10yr olds and Little Hearts for my 4, 5 & 7yr old.

I currently have my 5yr old using MFW-K and I have MFW 1st grade for my 7yr who will start it in the fall.

Decisions. Yikes I might go ahead like I mentioned on another post and buy HOD's guides, compare and see where to go from there.

[water2wine]

Have any of you been there done that

Umm. Me. I left MFWK midway for LHFHG and purchased Exp to 1850, did all the stuff they said to get ready and realized it just was not for me. I was already arguing with the manual before I was even using it. Not a good sign. And I wanted the fun we were having with LHFHG for all my kids so we took a detour to BHFHG. It was a great move and I do not regret it. But now we are set with HOD and planing on staying for the long haul using all the new programs as they are released.

[annaz]

We did MFWK, my dd hated MFW1st and we started MFW Adv then I saw HOD. We love HOD. But then, I love MFW Adv too, but this works better for us. Since I still have ADV, I may combine some activities, but I like that HOD is so age appropriate and uses activities (including physical) for again, "age appropriate" bible training/verses and other books and topics. The key ideas are a Godsend! It tells you where you're going with it all.

HOD you can beef up or do your own LA/math, but it's just less cumbersome than MFW but still gets in all the good stuff and then some without a TM that requires so much reading.

[Ruth in FL]

Hello!
I just finished our third year of MFW. I used Adventures, ECC and just finished Creation to Greeks. I did not like it as much as the other years. I found some of the books very dry. I loved the fact that the Bible was the spine. That part of it we really enjoyed. But, like I said, the books were dry to me and the girls. I found myself skipping alot of the material to be read. And to be honest, I didnt like studying Ancient Greece with my 10 year old.

Most of the books from the library had a lot of nudity on vases and other forms of art, most of the gods were sleeping with this one and that one having all kinds of illegitimate baby gods.....I just said no more! She will survive not knowing any Greek until high school and she will understand more where babies come from!

As of three months ago,I thought I would finish CTG then move right on to Rome to Reformation,but then HOD came my way and I really loved the simplicity,yet thoroughness of the plans. I am just sorry my youngest is 10 and there are not more years to HOD!

Anyway, I think if you try to use both, you will burn out really quickly. You can pick and choose from each manual for your lessons, but....why would you when both of them have it all laid out for you already?? I vote for HOD Preparing since that is a bible/world history study.

Ruth

[Tabitha]

Hello!
I just finished our third year of MFW. I used Adventures, ECC and just finished Creation to Greeks. I did not like it as much as the other years. I found some of the books very dry. I loved the fact that the Bible was the spine. That part of it we really enjoyed. But, like I said, the books were dry to me and the girls. I found myself skipping alot of the material to be read. And to be honest, I didnt like studying Ancient Greece with my 10 year old.

Most of the books from the library had a lot of nudity on vases and other forms of art, most of the gods were sleeping with this one and that one having all kinds of illegitimate baby gods.....I just said no more! She will survive not knowing any Greek until high school and she will understand more where babies come from!

As of three months ago,I thought I would finish CTG then move right on to Rome to Reformation,but then HOD came my way and I really loved the simplicity,yet thoroughness of the plans. I am just sorry my youngest is 10 and there are not more years to HOD!

Anyway, I think if you try to use both, you will burn out really quickly. You can pick and choose from each manual for your lessons, but....why would you when both of them have it all laid out for you already?? I vote for HOD Preparing since that is a bible/world history study.

Ruth

I think you pretty much just sealed my fate on not using MFW CtG.... ECC is okay, but nothing to scream about.

[annaz]

I agree w/Tabitha and Ruth. MFW lacks the excitement that I see in HOD!!!

[MamaMary]

Linda,

I don't remember what I've shared on the WinterPromise loop. I had already decided to switch to MFW ECC (from WP) because I just felt so overwhelmed that I wanted a Christ Centered program.

I found the whole ECC from a friend and had done a couple of weeks when I started hearing about HOD over at HomeschoolReviews. (Thank YOU W2W)

Next thing I know....,

I had sold the MFW ECC and bought Little Hands, Little Hearts, Beyond and Bigger! I did decide that I wanted to combine a bit more and I am using Little Hands and Beyond right now.

For the first time I feel like I've found a program I don't need to tweak. It is EVERYTHING I've always wanted. Not too much, not to little, Biblical worldview, Fun hands on yet easy enough to be consistent. We started back in February and I am not a bit sad.

I look forward to seeing what you decide. MFW is a wonderful God Honoring company. I Love WinterPromise, but I feel like HOD was written just for MY family. It is PERFECT!

[Homeschooling6]

Thank you so much ladies! I'm really torn between the two. I'm still not sure what we will do but I might go ahead and use what i have this year. MFW-K, MFW-1st & MFW CtG and start the younger ones with HOD next school year or I might use MFW for Phonics and start the younger ones with HOD this year

Another idea is to go ahead and order HOD Guides then make a decision. I'm pretty certain that I would like to switch the younger four dc to HOD, but 'when' is the question

Again, thank you ladies for comparing and replying to this thread for me.

In Him,
Linda<><

[Homeschooling6]

One thing I was looking forward too this year was celebrating the Biblical Feast.