New Homeschooling Mom needs advice

[swoodburn1]

Hi all: I'm very new to homeschooling and I need some advice. I'm looking to homeschool my children and I have a variety of ages (7 yrs, almost 6yrs, 3 yr, 21 month and 5 month). My older two attended Pensacola Christian Academy where they taught Abeka. My oldest daughter thrived . . . the almost 6 year old did not. So my 7 year old is at or above a 2nd grade level and even though my almost 6 year old completed K, I feel like she needs to be back in K to go over the basics again. Can someone give me advice on what to order through HOD that I can use with all 3 of the older children? I was looking at "Little Hearts for His Glory" - using the History that comes with that for all 3 children. But I need help with Science and Math. My 2nd grader can read just about any book . . . but I feel like I almost need to start over with the K and thought about using "Teaching your child to read in 100 easy lessons" - that way I could also use it when the 3 year old gets ready to read. My 2nd grader is on her grade level in math, but not sure about the K - she struggles with combinations. Also, should I order the 2nd grade Science? Would my younger children understand the content? I'm sticking with Abeka on the handwriting because my children have been with that for so long (its cursive writing).

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated! I'm new to this and it seems a little overwhelming trying to teach so many different levels. I fear that either the material will be way over the heads of my younger ones or boring and unchallenging for my older girl. Thanks in advance!

Homeschool Mom in Ohio

[countrymom]

Welcome! It can be overwhelming at first, but let me assure you once you figure out the program and get proper placement you will never look back. Let me start by saying that with the HOD program placement is everything. You can actually save yourself time and headaches by getting your children properly placed, even if it means they land in different guides. I would encourage you to look at the placement chart and share with us where your older two place. You can find that at http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php.
From what you have said, I would guess your 7 yr old would place solidly in Beyond and your almost 6 yr old would place in Little Hearts with K options. You could also consider going 1/2 speed in Little Hearts with your 6 yr old, completing both K and then 1st options while in that guide. That would space the guides out a little more for you. Based on my experience with starting a 3 yr old in Little Hands to Heaven, I would wait to do anything formal with your 3 yr old. You may have an easier time combining your 3 yr old and 21 month year old down the road when they are 4 & 5 then you would combining your older two. If you get a chance, come back and share where your children place and we will try to help you brainstorm.

[8arrows]

I would put the oldest two in Beyond. It sounds to me as if the 7 year old is past LHFHG. You can still repeat phonics with the six year old while doing Beyond.

[psreit]

I agree with countrymom on waiting to do anything formal with the 3 yo. Since you are new at homeschooling, that would keep the load lighter for you by only teaching 2 to start. Then the following year you could begin LHTH with #3 & 4. As far as the oldest two, after you check placement chart, if you post where they place, I'm sure there will be help from those experienced with multiple children in HOD.

[my3sons]

Welcome to the HOD Board, mom in Ohio! This is a very helpful board full of ladies who are real encouragers. I too would love to help you get started on the right placement for your dc, and I am excited for you to begin homeschooling! I can attest to the fact that teaching with multiple guides with HOD is not difficult if dc are placed properly, especially just 2-3 guides. When you get a chance, pop back in and share what you figured out from the placement chart, especially in regard to the reading, writing, and math columns. Thanks, and I am looking forward to getting to know you here!

In Christ,
Julie

[swoodburn1]

Ok - after viewing the placement chart, I would place my 7 yr old in Beyond and my 6 year old in LHFHG probably 1st grade option for Math (looks like it starts where we are now) She's having a tough time with combinations. What about spelling reading? My almost 6 year old can read basics . . . she just forgets "when there are two vowels in a word, the first one says it's loooonnnnggg sound and the second one is silent". Does this help with options? Again, what level Science would you use for both of them? Thanks for the advice!

[my3sons]

Thanks for sharing some good specifics to know - that really helps! I think you have two good options here...
Option #1: Combine the almost 6 yo and 7 yo in "Little Hearts for His Glory" (LHFHG) for their core program with first grade options. Use LHFHG for your almost 6 yo's handwriting, fine motor skills, and phonics, and use Beyond Little Heart's hands-on math plans and workbooks 1A/1B for her math. For your 7 yo, use "Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory" for her reading utilizing the Emerging Reader's Set schedule and comprehension questions in its Appendix, as well as doing the grammar introduction on Day 5 of the plans. Use Spelling List 1 or 2 for 7 yo, along with the multi-skill LA plans for the lists in the Beyond guide. Use either Math 1A/1B or 2A/2B for 7 yo - both are in Beyond.

Option #2: Have 7 yo do Beyond as is. Have almost 6 yo do LHFHG as is, only with Beyond's 1A/1B math. You could have almost 6 yo do LHFHG half-speed for a bit to get into a good rhythm with doing 2 guides. You could plan to take about 1 1/2 years to complete LHFHG and about 1 1/2 years to complete Beyond with your almost 6 yo, so by the she finished Beyond, your oldest would have done Beyond, Bigger Hearts, and PHFHG. This is kind of a nice setup, as you'd eventually have one in Beyond and one in PHFHG, and PHFHG starts to be nicely independent for your older.

I'd say if your oldest fits Carrie's description in the link below... Option #2 would be best...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6155

On the other hand, if combining is important and worth slowing things down a bit for your 7 yo so almost 6 yo can join in, then that is a good option too! Either way, I'd not have your almost 6 yo do Beyond. An almost 7 yo doing Bigger Hearts is where things would probably start to fall apart as it would be way too difficult and that would be the situation for every year after as well.

What are your thoughts though? Hope something here helps! We have loved HOD for 10 years now. I am excited for you and your family to enjoy it as ours has!

In Christ,
Julie