Help me decide between HOD and Sonlight!

[meamommy]

Has anyone used HOD and Sonlight and have any good comparisons between the two? I recently started using LHFHG for my 5 year old and we really like it so far. I had originally planned on doing Sonlight's core A for him next year, but now am thinking of going with Beyond....and then my 4th grader, we are using some of sonlight this year (readers and LA) which we love, and were planning on doing core D next year for him, but now I was thinking of trying HOD for him...I am so confused! He has really enjoyed the sonlight readers, I am wondering how HOD's compare. I do know we used MFW for both of them at the beginning of this year and we did NOT like it at all, we stopped using it after a couple weeks. It was too easy, boring and repetitive, I had to add way too much to it, I didn't like having to use the library, (ours is awful) and it was too missions focused for us. Hopefully someone might have some advice for me!

[Motherjoy]

We used SL for 2 years and have used HOD for the past 4 years. I really tried making SL work for me, but I got tired of having to add to it. I wanted hands-on activities and it was time-consuming to find resources and add them in. I felt the books were too old for the recommended age range and there were several very questionable books that I had to heavily edit. Many of the Usborne books had nudity that I tried to deal with for awhile, before simply tossing them out.

Also, I hated the guides. I hated the weekly setup and the teacher's notes in the back. There was too much flipping about and I got easily stressed out by them, but that's me.

[4Hispraise]

We used Sonlight (everything except science) for four years and are now in our fourth year with HOD. Our family loved the books, and I really did not mind the layout of SL. With HOD, we have enjoyed the books, also. HOD uses books much slower and allows the child to really digest what they have read. HOD also has hands on activities that clearly tie to history reading - SL does not. With HOD, my ds remembers more because he has interacted with the material on so many different levels throughout the week - reading, narrating (oral and written) time line, history project, research, independent history, listening to cds like What in the World?, mapping, etc. The building of skills in HOD is much gentler, but steadily progresses throughout the guides. We began with PHFHG, and we are so pleased by the growth in skills!

What I found with SL was that I became a task master as the guides progressed and I was no longer discipling my child. For SL books that I just think look to good to miss, we visit the library, read them during the summer or free time. We are so satisfied with the excellent book choices in HOD and the godly focus, that I can never imagine going back to SL.

In fact, I could not afford LHFHG this year for my youngest, so I borrowed SL Preschool from my neighbor. Two weeks in, and we were all miserable. We gave it back and are waiting and praying for God to make a way for us to use LHFHG.

As far as layout, I find the HOD guide so much more user friendly. In the guides for older children, my ds is able to open it up and follow the directions easily for the day. He does not have to flip around to find notes for each activity...they are all right there before him.

[John'smom]

This thread might be helpful. No experience myself.

[agstefko]

I've used Sonlight for P3/4 to Core B. I like the idea of Sonlight and we have had good times snuggling on the couch with the read alouds, but overall I love HOD. This is our first year with HOD and the flow of history makes so much more sense to use. Sonlight has you jumping all over the place and using multiple books all the time. I use to start my day grabbing the books and I would have a foot tall pile. With HOD it seems so simple and everything flows so much better. I have only used LHFHG and Beyond so I am newer at this, but it has just been easier to do school for us with HOD. I love also how as the guides progress they start to be independent. I know running 2 sonlight programs was taking me all day plus I had 2 little ones underfoot. Anyway, if you want you can always add in some of the great read alouds to HOD and the readers. I add in some of the readers for my dc because he goes through books quick and do add in some of the read alouds, but truthfully Carrie has done a great job at these too HTHAL

[my3sons]

These threads are specific to your question here and may help too...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8920&p=65267
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6204&p=45509#p45509

In Christ,
Julie

[meamommy]

Thank you so much for all the helpful answers, and I am heading to check out the other threads now!
The difference in the guides is one thing that looked great to me! Like I said I have only used Sonlight LA so far, but it is done like the MFW was, the weekly thing and I hate all the flipping around. I LOVE how my youngest son's HOD guide is, it's so much easier to follow!

[Mumkins]

I loved the readers and read alouds in SL. But, I felt like God was missing. I mean, sure, we had bible class. But, outside of that, it was the rare book that pointed to Christ. We've only used P 3/4 thourgh B. It does look a bit better in the upper guides. But, I want their day Christ centred. I also found they used books that were way too old for the age range. HOD and SL use several of the same books, but you'll see them later here.

Read the 27 reasons not to choose SL. That may be helpful.

[meamommy]

I just have to say thank you guys for the wonderful replies, this board is GREAT, very different than a lot I have been on! Everyone is so nice and helpful. This really reaffirmed my decisions!

[keyjoh]

I just have to say thank you guys for the wonderful replies, this board is GREAT, very different than a lot I have been on! Everyone is so nice and helpful. This really reaffirmed my decisions!

This also helped me in making my decision to use HOD too!