Change of mind....

[Starla]

My 9 year old son is presently in Preparing. Overall, we are enjoying the journey. However, in planning for next year, I was thinking of doing something completely different than Creation to Christ - trying to pull my own materials together. Mostly because of thinking that CTC may be too difficult for him as he is going into the 5th grade, but at a year younger than most kids are at that grade. He also doesn't like to write things down too much.... (How many boys do? ) So was thinking of taking a year "break" from HOD and come back to CTC later.

After 2 weeks of checking out other curriculum and with my head whirling with so many options, yet not finding something that combines the skills, content and focus on Jesus that HOD has, I can't help but come full circle back to HOD. It just has a lot of what we are looking for in a curriculum. I may need to hit it at half speed to start with, but believe after searching all around, that it is still the best option for my boy.

In this hunting/searching process I've come to realize just how much work and energy that Carrie has put into the guides....wow! So no, I may not do everything written in the guide exactly as instructed, but it is a guide - and a wonderful guide at that; beautifully pulling from a variety of sources to help teach our kids. Carrie and Julie, I've never met you personally, but just wanted to say THANK YOU for all you do to make this schooling of our kids such an open and go process...and for incorporating the Word of God into the heart of it all. Hours and hours you have spent, sacrificing family time and energy - but look at how many lives, families and even communities eventually will be touched through it all. Again....thank you

[Gwenny]

That is such a great post. I agree wholeheartedly with you.

I think that half speed is definitely going to be your best friend the next year. Just slow down, enjoy the process and let him mature and learn.

[psreit]

HOD has been a blessing. We enjoy reading all the living books, and dd is especially enjoying John Audubon in science in Bigger. But, I have to say that the Bible and character lessons is the root of any teaching we give our dc. You have made a wise decision. If your ds needs to take 2 years to do CTC, don't feel like he is not getting what he needs. Take your time and let him enjoy learning, even if you have to just do a little at a time. My dd will be 10 in May and we are doing 3 days most weeks in Bigger. Although I had hoped to be more than halfway by the end of this school year, that is going to be where we end up.

Many are concerned about getting to certain guides by high school or feel they have to do a certain amount of work to consider it a school day. That is okay for those dc who can accomplish that at a reasonable speed without them becoming weary of 'doing school work'. Since having a dd with some learning disabilities, I am realizing more and more that our homeschooling needs to be more focused on preparing my dd for life. Yes, that includes learning the academics. But, I can say from experience that when I become so focused on making sure we finish a certain amount in the books each day, it puts stress on our day. We don't have time for anything else. This really hit home when my friend heard another 'older' homeschool mom say recently that we have become so focused on curriculum and are really missing the point of homeschooling. I homeschooled our older dc using regular textbooks/workbooks. We missed out on so much because I was just focused on curriculum and getting so many books done before the end of the year, even in the younger grades. I really like how HOD helps to build a relationship between "teacher & student". I enjoy having 'talks' with dd about what she is learning. It is so neat to see her growing and learning through HOD while having, as you put it, the 'focus on Jesus'.

[Tansy]

I'm thinking.... about doing next year half speed for just the reasons Psreit mentioned. It all depends on the lvl of work my dd1 can handle I don't want dd2 to loose out so I may let her do a bit of unschooling on the side. She will be done so much more earlier than the LD child. Letting him grow into the guide for the writing.

For example there are up to 9 questions to answer in the history section some days. For my "6th Grader" She has to answer 6 unless she is having a foggy day then I may just ask for her to do it orally and I write it down for her. As long as I stay on top of how "able" is she today were usually good. For my 4th grader she has to only answer 4 questions but often she answers all of them cause she likes it. Adjust as needed and don't get caught up in the tyranny of "Must do every little bit."

[Tabitha]

My 10yo dd will be done with Preparing in 10 weeks. I just ordered the CTC student materials for her, and I find myself in this pickle as well. For my dd, CTC will be challenging. She will use this for part 5th and part 6th. I plan to take the first week doing left side one day and right side the next day, and she how she fairs. I will move at a pace that is good for her, planning that it might take us 1 1/2 school years to get this in. However, she may just surprise me, and with the addition of the student pages get really into it and soar!

[Carrie]

Starla,

Your post brought tears to my eyes tonight and blessed me beyond measure! Thank you so much for your words of encouragement coming just at the right time as I have been reading, reading, reading to choose the right books for high school.

Now to encourage you, I will share that if you can begin to think of the homeschool years as a journey, where you just steadily put one foot in front of the other each day (some years walking faster than others), then you will feel a great sense of relief. I know I did when I began to realize that if we just keep moving forward, taking our cues from our children (yet remaining in the driver's seat as the parent), we will progress!

This homeschooling journey is fraught with all of the things that make up life: hardship, joy, struggle, celebration, growth, backward motion at times, trials and testing, sowing and reaping. It has an ebb and flow all it's own!

So, I'd advise beginning at half-speed, training, teaching, and mentoring as you go. Take your cues from your child and you may just be surprised. Nudge without dragging the child along, prod without pushing really hard, and celebrate the small things (or you may just miss the progress even though it's there)! Pray for guidance daily, and let the Lord direct your path. He knows what we need before we even ask!

Blessings,
Carrie

[Starla]

Carrie, I'm glad you were encouraged! To try and put curriculum together like you do, getting things to run smoothly is a monstrous job and my thought is that it only happens with constant dependence upon the Lord. On behalf of I'm sure all HOD users...we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

And to each of you other ladies as well...thank you for your encouraging words! This process of searching everywhere (I'm talking hours and days) and coming back to HOD brings me to several decisions.

One - as I finish up Preparing, to not take any more "shortcuts". My ds IS able to do the work, and it will make our days a little bit longer, but he needs to finish developing his writing skills and narration skills. It also may take a week or more longer to get through the book, (We are on unit 24 right now) but that's no problem.

Two - after reading your posts and what most of you suggested, is to start up my boy slow and easy. Not to worry if we don't finish up a day's work when we start CTC, but to take it box by box....not even worry about 1/2 speed to start with. If it takes us 3 days to get through one day to start with - that will be fine. I want him to learn the skills as he goes - and if that takes a little longer, then that's okay. Again, thank you for all your input...am so glad this board is available to be able to help one another!

[my3sons]

Starla - Thank you so much for your encouraging post! It was just what I needed to read today, isn't God so good? We began CTC half-speed with our 9 yo, and we enjoyed that very much. I was surprised at how quickly he grew into CTC though, much more quickly than he grew into PHFHG. I know that doesn't mean that will be the case for every child, as all dc hit growth spurts at all different times. But, I will say it went pretty smoothly more quickly than I anticipated. I'm so glad your ds will get to do CTC. It is a favorite of mine for teaching ancient history in such a Christ-honoring way. It is indeed a rare find. I wish I'd had history taught this way when I was a child. It would alleviate this need for me to try to join two histories in my mind all the time - Bible history and world history. They tend to still be two separate entities at times in my head, due to the way I was schooled. For my sons, their story will blessedly be different thanks to HOD's CTC. Thanks once again for your kind words! I reread posts like these to fill my cup. Being encouraged like this helps me try to go out and find ways to encourage others. I appreciate it more than you know.

In Christ,
Julie

[Mom2Monkeys]

I did exactly what you considered and came crawling back before that year "break" was up. There is just NOTHING like HOD. It really is the best! We just started back with it and loving it! Your ds might surprise you in the early weeks of ctc...we grew weary about 6 weeks in. That is when we left and thought we needed a break. I should have just slooooowed down. Wise decisions youve made!