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Hi ladies,

I'm going into our 4th year of happily using HOD. Since I started with HOD I have combined by older two who are currently 11 1/2 and 10. The fit of the program always has been perfect for my older and a little on the difficult side of my younger son. They have done Bigger, Preparing, CTC and this year I was planning RTR with them again being together.

As I've spent the week getting things ready and filing away last year's materials, I have felt moved to consider not combining them anymore. I was looking through the independent reading and just felt that again it would be just on that edge of too hard for my 10 year old. I mentioned it to my husband and he totally agrees. He really likes to see the kids challenged, so for him to agree was really affirming.

So, now I've got a problem. I think I want to wait a year for my 10 year old to do RTR. I don't know what to do with him for this year, though. Should I just spend a year really working on the basics of math, spelling, dictation, writing (using Write with Skill), DITHR, Bible study etc. and not worry about history? It doesn't seem nearly as fun as having a wonderful guide with the wonderful boxes that he enjoys so much. I want him to have a great year of growth but without so much struggle and trying to keep up with his brother. I know RTR will fit him so much better next year. But, what should I do for him this year? I would love your ideas.

Thanks ladies.

Love, Heather

Heather,
Why not just take RTR at 1/2 speed for however long it takes to have son grow into skills. There are many posts on how 1/2 speed would look. What areas does he have difficuty doing? What have you done in the other guides? Perhaps you could do extensions from previous guides or other sets but I know the more you change the guides the more work you must do. If he goes 1/2 speed it would put more space between your 2 older children.
Tammy

What if you took the fall "off", did the basics with him daily (math, reading, dictation) and then did other random things to fill in the time....

Then in the spring you could start half speed. Maybe do a month at a time half speed and re-evaluate at the end of each month to see where you think he stands. Like if you think he'd be good to go full speed, still go half speed, or maybe a little more than half speed, but not quite full speed.

That way, it'll spread your kids apart a bit...

Heather,

The ladies are already helping so much as it is great to talk through your options. One thing I will share that may help as you ponder is that HOD has a built-in progression that steadily builds independence, confidence, critical thinking, writing, and work load as you move up through the guides. While it is up to you whether to step away from HOD and fill your son's year with other things, upon return it is possible that your son will actually be less ready for RTR than he is after just coming out of CTC. This is because all programs have different focuses and many programs either rely heavily on the parent for presentation and readings or step away from a CM style education and CM style skills.

With this in mind, if your son was able to get through CTC without floundering, I would think that RTR at a reduced speed and pacing would be a perfect fit for him. It can be a real dawning to discover that we need to separate our kiddos, and when that moment happens it can feel like we are really seeing our children as individuals in a whole new way. It is so good to ponder just what your sons each need! Often though, just a change in pacing will make a huge difference and allow the child to grow into the skills needed for a new guide. So that is likely the route I would ponder first. It's so important not to downsize too far in the quest to meet our children where they are. This is the dance to find the right balance.

Blessings,
Carrie

I don't know if this advice would be doable for you- but here is a thought:

What if you separated your sons within the same guide.

Still teach the T box together.

You could have your younger son begin halfpace and your older move at full speed.

If you read aloud the storytime- I would just continue to do that and not worry about slowing it down.

It isn't 'perfect'- but it is a possible solution. Maybe you could think of a better way to work it. In RTR there is a lot of independence. I would not slow down an older child to wait for the younger. In my experience, this can be very detrimental on multiple levels.

I am not sure if this is making sense- but if you can grasp the idea I am trying to share- I think it might be worth pondering.
Rebecca