Holding back starting a guide to keep kiddos combined?

[mommyofmany]

Trying to figure out when to start LHFHG with my 4yo dd (turns 4 next month actually). She just started using The Reading Lesson and is trying to trace letters in our "just for fun" pre-k workbooks. I'd think she'd be ready to start next July/Aug when she just turns 5 or certainly by the time she is 6 the following year- BUT....I'd love to have her and Josie (2yo) in the same guide. Do you hold back teaching kids skills to combine them or start them out in a guide at their level and then combine down the road? Just thinking it'd be easier to plan it out ahead of time. My 2yo seems to be advanced for her age- she just turned two in April and is speaking in full sentences and pretending to "read" her books. Any advice? I thought I could start my 4yo in Little Hearts next year and have her do the right side of the guide full speed using K materials and then do a 2nd go-round using 1st grade materials while doing the left side of the guide half-speed (2-3 days a wk). The problem would be, she'd be going into Beyond at 7yo and Josie would only be 5yo. Would it be better to use something else for her K year (like MFW or something) and then do Little Hearts for 2yrs so they be going into Beyond when they are 6 & 8yo? I know that placement is based on much more than ages but I'm concerned about getting Josie into higher guides at too young an age (and I'm also concerned about trying to run 3+guides since Matty will be doing some different things too & we're praying for more blessings). I know some people enjoy running a few guides at once- but is it just too much for many families? I feel pretty maxed out just with getting LHTH and Bigger done right now with everything else we have going on. Thanks a bunch!!

PS~ I hope this message makes any sense at all. I've been trying to write it all day and keep getting interrupted, lol!

[MelInKansas]

I wanted to combine my kiddos when they were about those ages and I am glad now that I didn't. Now that I look back on it 1)I would have held my oldest back probably to her detriment. She has learned a lot these last 2 years that she would not have if I had held on to my idea of combining. 2)I think combining would have been just as much work as keeping them separate. I think adding things on so my older one would be challenged would have been difficult, plus I am still using the math activities in the guide (I think next year in Preparing we start using the Singapore textbook instead of Carrie's activities). So Bigger is complete and plenty for my oldest, and LHFHG is perfect for her younger sister.

I have heard people say Bigger is the most teacher-intensive year. In Preparing independence is starting to be gained, so while you still do have to check on the work being done, you can plan for the child to have much more independent time.

But if you feel combining is really what you need to do and that your 2YO will be ready for LHFHG on the early side, say at 4 1/2 or a young 5, then you would probably want to have a year of something else for your 4YO. Some people do repeat LHFHG or LHTH, I don't think I would want to though, that's just me.

[basesloaded]

I did do this very thing when using another curr (MFW) when my oldest boys were in 1st and 3rd ... and they have stayed together since. We have loved it!!! We began using HOD when they were in 3rd and 5th with Preparing. My eldest has always done extensions. Next year they will be in 7th and 9th and I will keep them together for MtMM. After that I am separating them. I would have done it this year as my eldest moved into High School but I did not want him to miss the MTMM. I think either way can work for you. We looked at our goals for our boys and prayed alot about it before deciding. The Lord will give you peace for your decision, too.

[Motherjoy]

My youngest son that I have in my group doing Beyond started it when he was 5. He is at the same level as his older brother, and may surpass him in some areas. Your idea sounds good. I did refrain from starting too early with my 8yo, just so I could combine my three middle boys. It has worked well for us. He does a higher level of reading, math, and spelling than the others.

[mommyofmany]

Thank you ladies for your thoughtful replies! It sounds like things could work either way. I guess I could try it the way I planned it out and then separate the girls if Josie ends up not being far enough along to keep up with the guides. I don't want to hold Anna's learning back- it just seems silly to separate them when they are so close in age (& abilities already!). Maybe we could end up stretching out Beyond and Bigger a little as well....

[my3sons]

Trying to figure out when to start LHFHG with my 4yo dd (turns 4 next month actually). She just started using The Reading Lesson and is trying to trace letters in our "just for fun" pre-k workbooks. I'd think she'd be ready to start next July/Aug when she just turns 5 or certainly by the time she is 6 the following year- BUT....I'd love to have her and Josie (2yo) in the same guide. Do you hold back teaching kids skills to combine them or start them out in a guide at their level and then combine down the road? Just thinking it'd be easier to plan it out ahead of time. My 2yo seems to be advanced for her age- she just turned two in April and is speaking in full sentences and pretending to "read" her books. Any advice? I thought I could start my 4yo in Little Hearts next year and have her do the right side of the guide full speed using K materials and then do a 2nd go-round using 1st grade materials while doing the left side of the guide half-speed (2-3 days a wk). The problem would be, she'd be going into Beyond at 7yo and Josie would only be 5yo. Would it be better to use something else for her K year (like MFW or something) and then do Little Hearts for 2yrs so they be going into Beyond when they are 6 & 8yo? I know that placement is based on much more than ages but I'm concerned about getting Josie into higher guides at too young an age (and I'm also concerned about trying to run 3+guides since Matty will be doing some different things too & we're praying for more blessings). I know some people enjoy running a few guides at once- but is it just too much for many families? I feel pretty maxed out just with getting LHTH and Bigger done right now with everything else we have going on. Thanks a bunch!!

PS~ I hope this message makes any sense at all. I've been trying to write it all day and keep getting interrupted, lol!

You have some good ideas here! I am wondering if you could gain some time by using whichever resources you didn't already use for LHTH? What would you think of a long term plan like this?...
2013-2015, Anna 4 yo, Josie 2 yo, Little Hands to Heaven using whichever Bible and devotional you didn't use the first time around, going half-speed, but adding "K" options from LHFHG for LA and math full-speed for Anna. For the second year last half of Little Hands to Heaven, Anna would be done with the K options of Little Hearts for His Glory, and could move on to the first grade LA and Math options of Little Hearts for His Glory full-speed.
2015-2016, Anna 6 yo, Josie 4 yo, Little Hearts for His Glory half-speed for both, K options for Josie for LA/math, and for Anna LA and Math from Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory half-speed, or if she's ready full-speed with the easier options (Emerging Reader's Set for reading, Spelling List 1, 1 x a week gentle grammar intro, 1A/1B Math)
2016-2017, Anna 7 yo, Josie 5 yo, other half of Little Hearts for His Glory, finish K options for Josie for LA/math, finish Beyond LA and Math for Anna, or use the harder choices if she did the full-speed ones last year (DITHOR 2/3 with Level 2 Book Pack, Spelling List 2, R & S English 2 from Bigger Hearts half-speed, 2A/2B Math with Bigger Hearts plans).
2017-2018, Anna 8 yo, Josie 6 yo, Beyond Little Hearts full-speed. Josie in younger Beyond options for LA/math, and Anna Bigger Hearts... LA and math full-speed, using younger options if she went half-speed with them earlier or if always has done harder full-speed she'd do DITHOR 2/3 with Level 3 Book Pack, Dictation 2, last half of R & S English 2, 3A/3B Math from Bigger Heart's Appendix.

I'm not sure if this makes sense or if I totally have the ages right, but I think this could work! What do you think? Another option would be to do Little Hearts and Beyond Little Hearts 3-4 days a week and take 3 years to go through them that way instead of half-speed LHFHG. I think you could play this by ear and see how much consistency is enough there. What are your thoughts? Or, am I off on ages/years here?

In Christ,
Julie