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Hi!!! I am hoping some moms out there can tell me what they think of my plan and give me some guidance...

When we move to HOD in August, my kids will be a little over 4 and a little over 5. The younger will have finished R&S About Three. She already knows all her letters (upper and lower) and their sounds and is just starting to blend them together. She is counting well and knows number value. The older will have finished CLP Liberty Math K, Lollipop Logic 1, and ETC 2 (or 3... he racing through 1). He is also reading BOB Books Level 1 right now. Both kids are able to listen to chapter books now, although only for 10 minutes at a time.

My plan is to do LHFHG. I would order the K package and that would be what the younger does. I would add in Thinking Skills for the older and let him continue on his own path in Math and LA. The key is I would spread it out over 18 months, doing it three days a week and adding in nature study (which we already do now) on a fourth day. My goal then would be to spread Beyond over 18 months, putting them in Bigger at ages 7 and 8.

This seems like the best way to combine them. They are only 11 months apart in age.

Is there a reason you want to be in Bigger by 7 and 8? Is there also a reason you want to only take 18 months for each guide? My concern is that you will be putting your younger DC into Preparing at a really young age.

I would actually shoot, at their young ages, to take 2 years for each guide. I would think Bigger at 7 would be a bit young, although it would depend on your younger DC's skills at that age. So, if you do LHFHG over two years, your younger DC will be 6, and then she will be at the younger age recommended for Beyond. The skills just progress quickly from Beyond to Bigger, from what I understand, and I would want my kids a bit older when they begin Bigger, just to minimize the frustration level.

If you do 3 days one week and two days the next, you would have plenty of time for playtime, nature study, and the other activities you all are involved in. You can do nature study one of the extra days, and perhaps PE or some other extras the fourth day of the second week. Thus, a 34-unit study would extend well into two years. I think there have been some threads to this extent. If I can find one in particular, I'll repost it.

FiveBMom,

I'm thinking that to get some consistency going it would be wise to do school 4-5 days a week, rather than just 3 longer days a week. So, in thinking about ways for you to keep your kiddos together, and keeping in mind their young ages, I would lean toward doing school daily. However, I would do LHFHG at half-speed for the first year. The simplest way to do LHFHG at half-speed is to the left side of the guide's daily plan one day and the right side of the guide's daily plan the next day. You could do phonics everyday though, which is usually what we advise.

In this way, you'll have about 35-45 min. of school every day with both kiddos (and an additional 10-15 min. for each kiddo's phonics. This will also leave plenty of time to do nature study or anything else you desire in your remaining time during the day.

Then, the following year, I would bump up to full-speed LHFHG. The reason I recommend this is that usually kiddos who have done half-speed of a guide a previous year are more than ready for full-speed the following year. Then, when you get to Beyond, you could go half-speed again for awhile (if needed). Or, you could always go full-speed just 4 days a week. You'll know better what your kiddos can handle when you get there.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks Carrie!!! I think we will do just that.