LHFHG at 7/8 Julie or Carrie?

[glperky]

OK, here I go again, so please bear with me. I know that I want to combind my little guys in LHFHG. But was wondering if waiting a year and starting it when my oldest little guy will be 7 1/2 turning 8 in Dec. would be pushing it? Is that too old for LHFHG, in your opinion? The reasoning behind it is 1. To give my 4 yr. (5 in Nov.) a chance to develop some more and really be ready for LHFHG 2. Is because my 6 yo. is all boy, doesn't want to do school because it cuts into his playtime and is non-stop. I thought it might give him sometime to develop too. 3. We could spend one more year working on phonics, math, and character issues before we really got going on "school." So, what do you think, honestly? Oh, I should probably add that right now my oldest places between LHFHG and Beyond.

[sherry80]

Actually that is what I decided to do to be able to combine 3 of my kids. I am starting Little Hearts when one of my kids will be 8 in 3rd grade and another will be 6 in 1st grade and another 5 in K. Each child will have their own level of english and math. (english including phonics/DITHOR, spelling when we start that, grammar/writing) I have a unique situation, I have 7 kids and one on the way, with my oldest only being 10. I didn't want to be overwhelmed with too much so I have decided to use HOD combining.
This year we are starting Bigger with extensions with my 4th and 5th grader and I will be doing Little Hands at 1/2 speed with my 6,4,3 year olds with my 6yo doing his own phonics math and handwriting. My two 1yo's will be into everything and we are expecting another baby in March! It was such a relief when I figured out this plan. I have always preferred focusing on math phonics and handwriting for grades K-2 and not adding in history yet, but my kids have always been slow to learn to read though.

[glperky]

Thanks for sharing Sherry. It helps to know that someone else is going to try this way. It just seems like my oldest would be way behind if we went this route. I guess I just would have to get past the fact that that probably doesn't matter. Right?

Hope more ladies give some input!

[Yaya68]

Hello,

I am in a similar predicament...for same & not so same reasons. My lil boys are both April babies...they are 6 and 8...K/1st and 2nd respectfully. I also have 3 older boys. Oldest at community college, 17 yo in 11th gr, 14 yo in 8th grade. As u can tell, we are not "on target" for ages and grades. There are reasons, but basically I have always taken it slooow out the gate. I am of the slower is better than faster mind set, and that of course depends on the child. My oldest did everything "on target", the other teens were slower in some & faster in other areas. From the 3rd ds and on, I started K at age 6. They just seem to do better starting older. Just my .02

My plan was/is to do LHFHG with my 6yo and Beyond with 8 yo. I was advised to perhaps consider combining them. see this thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12319 The jury is still out as to what we will decide to do in the end...and that may even change from what we do decide. I REALLY want to use separate guides so that they each feel independent, but being that we have a lot going on here and our history has proven to be shaky...I may have to go combo. The real reason I dont want to do that is cuz we will forever have to tweak our guide and schooling to the point that I feel I will never just open and go. I realize that this is prob inevitable for the future, but for this yr, I need it open and go. Not sure if that makes sense or if it helps anyone. Just wanted to give some input.

[Yaya68]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12319

This is the thread. Not sure what happened above?

[Yaya68]

Never mind...I think it's my iPad. Both links worked. Hahaha

[glperky]

Never mind...I think it's my iPad. Both links worked. Hahaha

Thanks for the links Sonya! Reading through them put a thought into my head.

What if this year while I am working with my youngest on letters and stuff getting him truely ready to start LHFHG next fall, I continue working with older DS on phonics, math, and the right side of LHFHG. Then next fall I could combind them on the left side of LHGHG and do the younger right side of Beyond with older DS and then the following year combind them in Beyond doing the older right side with oldest DS. Does that make sense and if so does anyone have an opinion on it? Please speak up because as always I need all the input I can get! Thanks!

[glperky]

Bump!

[glperky]

Thought I would try bumping one more time!

Also, I just read a post that made me wonder if I did wait until he is 8 would the other guides to follow seem babyish when he got to them? I could really use some honest input, please.

[psreit]

My dd did LHFHG at age 7/8. She turned 8 in May when we were finishing the guide. She did the complete guide, but she had struggles with her reading and writing skills. If you do not do an HOD guide this year and wait another year to begin the LHFHG guide, your older ds will probably be ready for the right side of Beyond since he is already placing in between guides. You could combine the left side of LHFHG and have the older do the right side of Beyond and the younger the right side of LHFHG. You could decide in another year when you recheck placement. I don't think the guides would be too babyish if your older ds started in LHFHG at almost 8. He'd be just a little over the upper end of the age range. I would not be concerned about that.

Another option would be to start LHFHG half speed this year, but do phonics and math every day. LHFHG does not take long to complete each day, and by going half speed you could ease them into it. You could put them in their own level in fine motor skills, math, and phonics(reading). All you can do is try it and see how it goes.

[mom23]

Another option would be to start LHFHG half speed this year, but do phonics and math every day. LHFHG does not take long to complete each day, and by going half speed you could ease them into it. You could put them in their own level in fine motor skills, math, and phonics(reading). All you can do is try it and see how it goes.

I'd lean toward this option, although she also has a good point that if he started HOD from LHFHG at 8 the guides probably wouldn't seem too babyish as he progresses through them. My ds finished up LHFHG in 2nd grade, age 7, and he was definitely outgrowing it by the end and finding things babyish; but he did have an older sister to watch and see that she wasn't having to do these cutesy little rhymes (nothing against them, he LOVED them for the first 3/4 of the guide... like I say, he just outgrew it.)

[twoxcell]

Not to be a discourager but I just can not imagine using LHFHG with a 7/8 year old. For me I couldn't wrap my mind around combining any of my kiddos so this year I'm using 3 guides and in the future I will be using 4. I hope that you can figure something out that works for you.

[pjdobro]

I'm not for sure about how a dc would feel about LHFHG at 8. My dc did LHFHG for 1st grade and turned 7 right at the end. I was afraid then that the rhymes would seem a little young to them, but they loved them. They were getting to the point of outgrowing them at the end, and I don't think they would have done nearly as well starting it at 7 and finishing at 8. The rhymes are the only thing that I can remember that might seem young to an older child but it's possible there is more that I am forgetting.

It sounds like your older ds is ready for LHFHG now and your younger might be ok with the left side of the guide now as well. How does your younger son place? Would it really be pushing him to start LHFHG with the K options? LHFHG doesn't take much time each day. The left side only take about 1/2 hour. So that really isn't much time away from playtime. It's only another 1/2 hour or so to add in the basics (right side). I know that dc really do like to play at this age and the wonderful thing is that LHFHG really caters to that developmental stage in our dc. My dc really enjoyed it and found school as much fun as play. I think it's important to set up a routine for school at a younger age for a short time to get that habit instilled early on. At least in my state, at 7 they have to be "schooled" and I know other states require that dc start even younger. So I thought it good to be doing a regular routine with my dc each day even before we got to the mandatory age. It got us all into some good habits and LHFHG was open and go, short and and to the point. It worked well for us.

I was wondering if you have considered possibly doing the right side of LHFHG with your older ds and doing LHTH with your younger using the Bible story and such from LHTH with both. I didn't find HOD early enough to use LHTH but I hear great things about it and it might be where your younger ds places. Let us know how your younger ds is placing and maybe we can ponder more options with you.

[glperky]

OK, thanks ladies. We will go ahead and start this fall with LHFHG. I was kind of bumbed about not starting anyway. Thanks for all the input. All of you are always such great help!

[twoxcell]

You could always do LHFHG and Beyond 4 days a week to stretch them out a bit. That is what I'm doing for my dd since she started LHFHG at 4 a few months before she turned 5. I'm not sure if that would be helpful for your kiddos, or if it is just better to let your oldest start LHFHG and start your younger when he/she is ready.