DS2 wants to tag along with DD5 in LHFHG

[Heidi in AK]

Hi there everybody, perhaps I win the award for most conflicted, most anxious, most... I am praying through our HSing journey that God can work these crazy things off me. Sorry to be such a bother and such a wad of angst!

We started a couple of weeks ago doing LHFHG half-speed with DD5. She LOVES it, and it's a good pace. We are doing some other things we committed to before finding HOD, and so it works. DS2 will not do his own thing; I break out the "History for Little Pilgrims" and he wants to join right in with that, and not on his own stuff.

I've read enough about homeschooling that it seems that people have different viewpoints about this. DS2 is very much the younger child, saying, "include me; I don't want to be left out, etc." I just saw that someone on the forum has their DD5 tagging along while the olders are doing Preparing. We are definitely headed for this. I know he will do his own workbooks in time, but is there any harm in allowing him to do LHFHG with us? It seems to be counterproductive in our family to try to make him be a 2-year-old, and it makes my life a lot easier. He does already recognize shapes, colors, and letters. Numbers he's getting somewhat, up to 10.

[krismoose]

Hi! When ds did LHFHG Dd joined right in, from 2.5-3.5th, and they both loved it. I plan to do LH again with her when she's 5. She enjoyed listening in to the Burgess books at lunchtime (though she'll actually understand them the next time through), and is excited for me to read them to her again someday. She joined in all the rhymes and activities, it was very cute, and ds didn't want to do anything without her (at the time ) I say have fun with your family! Your goals and family dynamics will change over time anyhow, and you can re-evaluate next year.

[twoxcell]

For a 2 year old I would allow him to join in when ever he wants to with no pressure at all and then I would take him through the program again on his own when he is 5. I would not attempt to actually combine them from here on up because he would just not be getting what he needed out of the guides.

[moedertje]

My dd4 tags along with my older ds6 doing LHFHG at times even though she is doing LHTH full speed and loving it. She did last year when we first started with LHFHG, but I now do not include her in the projects as this slows him down. (She needed more help, especially at age 3). She loves his "Rhyme in Motions" and runs out to join in, loves his music and sings and dances along. She also loves to sit in on the story time readings. I figure it will be a while before she gets to those books ds6 is in unit 22 for LHFHG at the time. For art and science projects, math and reading she has activities and is not allowed to come and interrupt. This has worked for our family so far. Once I start to do Beyond, this will all change.
Succes and time will tell how to handle your younger ds

[MelInKansas]

My DD4 has tagged along with her sister since LHTH (when she was 2). But I would really call it tagging along. Yes she is there, she is participating in the things that she is capable of, and she is listening to it. But she's not putting it all together, she's not getting the concepts that are being taught. I was all in favor of combining for many things when I started HSing and I am still going to work towards that, but I have appreciated some of the things I have read on this board about the fact that when a child is well-placed in a guide it is smooth and relatively easy to get it done, and they gain and grow so much more from it than if they were just trying to pick up on things from a guide written for much older students. I have seen this play out with my DD4. As much as she enjoys doing the activities, she can't answer the questions, and she can't share things that she's learned, at least she definitely isn't learning them on her older sister's level.

Now some kids are really bright, and are capable of going ahead of their "age" in these guides or in anything. Some children for sure are much more analytical than my DD4 is. I would say, with a 2YO, like others recommended, let them be a part of it if they want to and if they aren't disruptive. If they don't want to, have some backup activities lined up. My DD2 is very used to just roaming the basement room while we do school (she does have her own area/activities for LA time and when I am reading because that's when her free play tends to disrupt what we are doing). It doesn't hurt anything for the 2YO to be part of school time, again as long as it's not disrupting the other child. But as you go along you'll probably find like I did, that even if the child wants to be part of it, they're not going to learn the material so you'll end up doing it again. At least I know I will be. But enjoy it!

Also if your 2YO is really wanting school you can sure find activities/manipulatives that might appeal and be on the right level. Whenever the older ones are writing or doing a craft my DD2 is always at the table doing something too (trying to open her scissors, man that keeps her pretty busy!) I make a special time for her where I read to her or we play something that's developmental for her (but she's not asking to do school, well she likes school but again her concept of it is that she gets free reign of the toys because her sisters are busy).