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Hi. I'm considering HOD in the fall for a young 5ds and soon to be 7ds. I also have a 2dd. My question is to combine or not to combine? I've looked over the placement chart and here is where my boys are:

5ds: Reading - knows most of his letter sounds, Writing - LHFHG, Grammer - LHFHG, Math - LHFHG
7ds: places in Beyond for everything.

Should I combine the two or not. If so, should I use LHFHG or Beyond? I feel like it would be easier to combine, but have seen posts that suggest it may be just as easy not to combine. Any advice would be helpful.

My advice is, if you plan to combine (which I really think you COULD very easily do) is to put your children where your YOUNGER son places. I think the problem with combining is when you place your children where the oldest fits and try to manipulate it for your younger children. This is sometimes easier in the younger guides, but as the guides progress this becomes much harder to do, and can be a source of frustration for everyone. It is a lot easier to "beef up" a guide based on the older child's grammar level, reading level (using DITHOR), math level and supplemental extension readings.

You could obviously do both Beyond and Little if you prefer, but if you are wanting to combine, I'd go with LHFHG and beef up the things I mentioned above for your older child.

Others may have a completely opposite approach than what I've suggested...I'm only speaking from my own personal experience! I will say that I did LHFHG with my 7 (1st grader) and very young 5 yr old (kindergarten) and I felt like it was one of our VERY BEST years homeschooling...however, I will say that moving forward it has become apparent to me that my now 10 year old soars thru the guides, and his 8 year old brother needs more time going thru them at a slower pace...so for this year, we are no longer combining, but going to separate guides...Preparing and Bigger!

I agree, Tiffanie. I would also put them both in LHFHG. You can buy the Beyond guide as well and do the right side of Beyond for your older child. I almost always have a child in 2 guides at one time. (until we hit Preparing) Last year, I did LHFHG with my 1st grader - we did the left side as written and added right side of Beyond (which has the math plans and language arts). However, I would do the Burgess read a-louds with them from LHFHG. If you are combining ... you definitely want to use the same story time plans to keep down on all of your reading aloud. You can put your 7 year old in the emerging readers - which are scheduled in Beyond. (if he's ready for them)

I plan on combining my 2 younger children ... and when they hit those ages, I plan on having them in LHFHG. (with my older doing right side of Beyond)

This is all very helpful. I may go ahead and get both guides and use some of Beyond for my 7ds if I feel he isn't challenged enough by LHFHG.

I like the idea of beginning by combining in LHFHG, but using the right side of Beyond to up the LA and math for your 7 yo. If it becomes clear older child needs Beyond completely, then you could do Beyond full-speed with your 7 yo, and do LHFHG half-speed with your 5 yo (left side of plans one day, right side of plans the next day, probably phonics daily though). The reason I say this is because your 5 yo is on the very youngest target age range of LHFHG. It would be just fine to go half-speed with it, let your oldest stretch out ahead a bit of 5 yo, and then the following year, you could could do Bigger Hearts with then 8 yo and finish out LHFHG with then 6 yo. Just an idea for a plan B if for some reason plan A doesn't gel.

In Christ,
Julie