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My twin girls are 5 (soon to be 6) and will be finishing up LHFHG in May. We plan to start Beyond (1st grade) in the fall. Doing one guide per year, they would be doing Bigger for 2nd and Preparing for 3rd (so younger range of the guides). If I want to slow down so that they are doing Preparing in 4th instead of 3rd, which would you recommend to do 1/2 speed....Beyond or Bigger?

We are just finishing Bigger and heading for Preparing and my son is also at the lower age range of the guides. The one thing I have been aware of as we progressed is the fact that each program becomes more full. With that in mind, I decided I didn't want to do 1/2 speed all the way to the end and then jump into the next program full-speed. We started both Beyond and Bigger at 1/2 speed and then went to full-speed later in the guide. This has really worked well for us. Not only did it help us ease into the next guide and get a good routine going, but it did slow us down as well.

I think countrymom hit on something probably similar to what I want to share. It's not an all or nothing thing. When you start a new guide, because there are several new things you haven't done before, it takes longer to get through each day's plans as the child learns to do each of the components, learns what you expect, you make sure they are tracking with it, etc. It probably took us one more hour each day at the beginning of the guide than what it does by the end (well one more hour of my attention, as time goes on I get a little more slack, I'm able to get her started with stuff and leave her doing it, I don't really keep track of how much time she spends all together, just how much I spend).

My DD has been Beyond 1st grade, Bigger 2nd grade (though we won't finish it by this May, she will still be doing it into the fall), etc etc. If your child is ready, it can be done that way. But if you want to slow it down, or if you feel like it's getting to be too much, then you can do that. Just do 1/2 speed when that seems to be enough, or go up to full speed if it seems like you and the children can handle it.

I too, will have a 1st grader next year and was wondering the same thing. Another option I've heard is to do both Beyond and Bigger 4x/week. I believe someone told me that doing each guide 4 days a week extends the guide 9 weeks. So if I did that, my son (and your girls) would reach preparing in the middle of 3rd grade. This option appeals to me because it will give me a chance to add in a few things I love and have one day for field trips, etc.

I suppose you could always take each guide half speed too at first if you wanted to stretch to 4th grade. The only problem I see for me is how I will schedule it out because I want to make sure I finish and am ready fr preparing at the start of 4th. That might take some brainpower

Just thinking out loud, HTH!

Amy

Thanks for your suggestions. I suppose we could do Beyond and Bigger full speed and do Preparing 1/2 speed when we get to it as well..so many options! I think I'm trying too hard to figure things out right now...I need to remember to take things one year at a time

I would start each guide half speed. If you start each guide half speed for 6 units that'll add 6 weeks each year. It won't seem tedious and it won't drag it out. If you do 9 units half speed you'd be starting Preparing mid-year.