Hi Caroline! First I want to welcome you to Heart of Dakota!
One thing you really want to make sure of is that each of your children is placed correctly. That makes such a difference in how the program will work for your children and for you as their teacher. When we did Beyond two years ago, I combined my then almost 7 year old with my almost 9 year old. So that's pretty close to what you're talking about in the ages of your little guys. It was a great year, but I noticed that my older guy wasn't really challenged, which he thought was great, however, I started to see some laziness in learning creeping in. My younger child was adequately challenged and did really well that year, had a lot of fun, and learned so much! The next year, I separated them, and wow what a difference. My older child just excelled in his own guide, and the younger was still adequately challenged. Now, it takes a lot more work to seperate once combined children. I had to take one child and do half speed for a while and the other at full speed. I really wish that I'd just put my older in Bigger and my younger in Beyond way back two years ago when we started.
Sometimes the combining scenario can be such a blessing to families, but at least in our home, it didn't work out so well. I can see it working better if the children you're trying to combine are closer in age and ability. It sounds like a lot of work to do two guides at one time, but it really isn't. You just map out your day by taking a section of the morning and doing certain boxes with the younger one, then a few boxes with the older one. Then math or english with one, then the other. By working with one and having the other one do some independent type things, you'll manage your time, while keeping everyone busy. Beyond really doesn't take all that much time, and there are quite a few things that your older little guy can work on independently in Bigger, while you work with your little girls or your younger son.
This year we'll be doing three guides, and I have no doubt that it'll work out just fine. Next year we'll actually be doing five guides, because all five of my sweeties will be ready for their own guides. (Right now we have a little one that's not ready for Beyond yet, but will be next year! And one littler one who will do LHFHG next year, too!) I'm really not worried about teaching so many guides, because as you go up in the line-up of guides, they work the children to more independence in learning. Mom, of course, is still involved in each guide, and has precious learning time together with the children (doing several of the boxes together), but the bulk of the guide is done independently by the student, with mom doing meeting or check in times through the day.
My best encouragement for this situation, would be to really look over the placement chart again, making sure that each one really fits in the guide you're thinking on, and then to pray about it. It may be that combining ends up being such a blessing for your family, it may be that doing them seperately is the way to go, Either way, you've landed on a great curriculum that is Christ-centered and God honoring! (And a lot of fun, I might add!
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Keep asking questions here on the board when you have them, the ladies here are so helpful!
My mom passed away two years ago, and she would have been SOO thrilled that I found HOD, as it is the perfect mix of Charlotte Mason yet planned for me.