Plan for younger or older?

[amysue277]

I know this topic has been discussed endlessly, but I thought I would seek advice one last time (hopefully!)

I'm not sure what to do in the Fall. I will be schooling a 1st grader, 6.8 and a preK/K who will be 5.2. I have debated over and over again about combining or not combining. Looking at the placement chart, the 1st grader places in Beyond except for the writing. When I look at the guide, He is well placed but would not be able to copy the poems just yet. The other guy places between Little Hands and Little Hearts. I also have that guide and feel that the history readings will be over his head. We are doing the Burgess books now and both are doing well comprehending.

I've heard over and over that it's best to place the younger child and beef up for the oldest. If I did that, I don't think I would put my youngest in LHFHG for 2 more years, when he turns 6. But- my older son should not be held back that long.

Do I HAVE to combine? Well, that's the tough part. I also have dc ages 2, 1, and 3 weeks..life is a juggling act right now. Plus, my oldest two are joined at the hip and I have tried separating them in the past and it was a flop. I just don't see that working. I think in the older guides I wold be fine combining because I could use the extensions...but not sure what to do now. Thanks for any thoughts! I think I've entertained all my options but cannot find the peace I so desperately desire.

[MelInKansas]

My two oldest are quite close (relationally, 2 years apart in age) and I also have a couple of littles that make life interesting. Here's what I did: The Beyond year, when my 6YO was still a preschooler, she sat with and did a lot of Beyond, but it was really just "tag-along." My oldest also was not a good writer and still lags behind in the writing expectations though she is quite capable of everything else in Bigger Hearts (she's now in Bigger Hearts). I took it slow and brought it down to a level she could accomplish, though she still does not like writing. She likes CURSIVE though many on here might say I should not have let her go on to cursive without being able to write well, neatly, and smaller than she does in print. Anyway....

So for my 2nd DDs PreK year she tagged along in history, science, storytime, art, etc with her older sister and did a learn-to-read program on her own along with a handwriting workbook. That was about what I could manage. If you combine, you still have to do their own reading, math, and writing anyway. She is doing LHFHG this year and that is so easy to add in with Bigger Hearts. I can do all of LHFHG practically in the time it takes my oldest to do her independent work for Bigger and practice her piano. Even with the constant interruptions from the younger 2 - not constant, but you know, someone made a dirty diaper, the 3YO is choking her younger brother, stuff like that. My 3YO tags along on parts of LHFHG, she likes the Burgess books and if there's a craft I bring her in on it.

Editing to add: I had this idea in my head that combining was the thing to do and I needed to try to do it if possible. Now, for my 2 oldest anyway, keeping them separate is clearly the better choice. I'm not holding my oldest back and having to add in a lot to make it challenging for her, my 2nd born gets her own stuff which she likes and hers is quick and easy to get through again because it is right at her level. So, as many on here have said before, not combining is sometimes a lot easier than combining. The way HOD guides are written the readings and activities flow together and all reinforce the ideas being presented, and help them to grow right where they are at.

I hope this helps!

[my3sons]

You've done your homework, and you are right! Combining is best done choosing the younger of the two guides and beefing up for the older. However, from reading your description of your dc, it truly sounds like Little Hands to Heaven best fits your younger, and Beyond best fits your older (he'd grow into the copywork of the poetry). "Little Hearts for His Glory" may be a go if your younger was older, if your younger was advanced, or if your older was not ready for Beyond. I am wondering...

Does this description fit your oldest?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6155

I think the oldest often strikes out and takes off - a God-given ability to lead probably. To answer your question, "do you have to combine?" No, you don't. Sometimes combining is best, and sometimes it is not. I am thinking a combination is in the future for your middle and youngest dc, but maybe not for the oldest 2. Your 4 yo can listen in on Beyond's Storytime, but other than that, I think I'd enjoy doing LHTH with that child. Our two oldest sons are the best of friends - truly the BEST! They do separate guides completely, and it is a healthy thing. Both thrive and love to share what they are learning with one another over supper, in casual conversation, or in the highlights of the day (i.e. sharing the experiment results, sharing their memorized Bible verses with each other, showing each other their student notebooks, reciting memorized poetry for each other, etc.). They also love doing Drawn into the Heart of Reading together. But they also love having their own very special time to flourish in their own guides, their own very special time to discuss private things with me - especially during Bible Study times/purity studies/Boyhood studies/Biblical Worldview/Godly character trait studies, and their very own chance to shine! This has been huge for my teenager. What do you think though?

In Christ,
Julie

[amysue277]

Julie,
What do I think? I honestly think my head is going to become unscrewed because I keep changing my mind on this very important issue.

There is no question if I had a smaller family, I would not combine these two kiddos. I can certainly see that my oldest is ready to fly, and yet I just cannot imagine our days at this point running two different guides. I have a good routine going right now but it is light and with the ages of my little ones, even it is hard to pull off. I take a big breath each day that we got just the 3r's accomplished. Next year, I will have a 1,2 and 3 year old and the practical side of me tells me that it is smarter to put them together and try to beef it up for the older one to meet his needs. Truthfully, this is my brain speaking.

Now for what my heart has to say...I know my oldest could and should do Beyond. I know my soon to be 5 year old may be ready for most of LHFHG (probably not the history readings), but he would probably not be ready for beyond the following year...as he would be always on the lower end of the guides from that point on. I'm torn because he really WANTS to do the activities that his brother is doing. Example-I tried to UNcombine them for a few weeks this winter. It was a disaster. He sat by the stairs and begged and cried to participate. It was the build a boat from tinfoil activity. I was giving him the same amount of time with me for his own school, but he wanted so badly to be with his brother and do the "cool" activity. It was heart wrenching and quite stressful.

I can totally understand how beautiful it can be with kids in their own guides, and I WANT to do it, but don't practically have any idea how to pull it off with the littles and this chaotic state of life. Btw-we do morning playtime for the toddlers which is wonderful, do table time, rotating activities, and have loved your posts on all things related to schooling with littles. And yet I still don't know how I would find the time (or even energy) to do 2 guides.

I don't really foresee it being THAT hard to supplement for the older, but I'm also a former teacher and have lots of ideas, etc. But maybe I'm wrong?

I guess my latest thought was to combine them in LHFHG, making sure I'm challenging my older on the 3r's, and then maybe do both beyond and bigger over 3 years so that the younger would be in the middle of the age range instead of the lower. By then, I could add the extensions for my older in Bigger.

Yes, my next two in line will definitely be combined. So I would be looking at running 4 guides someday as opposed to 3. I wish I knew my kids personalities better! I wish I knew now if they would thrive in their own guides in a few years,or if they would enjoy being together for the long haul. How do you know? I've also read about people who love to combine. Your experience with your kids sounds just wonderful and I know i would cherish the time with each of them (it's few and far between these days) just as you have. But again, if mom is losing her sanity, then that wouldn't be happening anyway, right?

I cannot wait to hear what you have to say! Both you and Carrie are so wise, kind, and encouraging...amazing women behind an amazing curriculum! Thank you.

[my3sons]

...I guess my latest thought was to combine them in LHFHG, making sure I'm challenging my older on the 3r's, and then maybe do both beyond and bigger over 3 years so that the younger would be in the middle of the age range instead of the lower. By then, I could add the extensions for my older in Bigger...

I think this is a great idea! This would keep your little ones together, which they obviously love and you do too, while giving needed time for your younger one to grow and mature into the guides. Doing LHFHG together with them, maybe even 4 days a week, and having your older ds do the LA in Beyond would be a solid fit. What this would look like... the 2 of them would do LHFHG together, and I believe I'd get it with the K options so your younger ds could use the right Fine Motor Skills books, the right science (and the K and the 1st are very similar anyway), and the right math. Your younger ds would also start phonics, probably "The Reading Lesson" or something comparable. Your older ds would do Beyond's Spelling List 1 using the Language Arts box in Beyond for plans, the Beyond Day 5 Language Arts box gentle grammar introduction, the Beyond 1A/1B Math in Beyond along with the hands-on activities planned, and Little Hearts for His Glory's handwriting (either "A Reason for Handwriting A" or "Italic B"). He would not do the copywork of the poetry in Beyond, as this fits better with Beyond. Depending on his reading level, he'd either do phonics, the Emerging Reader's Set utilizing the Appendix of Beyond for pacing and comprehension questions, or "Drawn into the Heart of Reading 2/3" if he is a very advanced reader. The Storytime plans for Thorton Burgess have excellent skills that follow up the readings, but am I understanding that you have read those already? If so, I wonder about stopping those and choosing different read alouds, so you can do them along with the Storytime box in LHFHG. Those skills are important and help dc move on to higher level reading comprehension skills and beginning oral narration skills in Beyond. One other thought I'd had is to get "Little Hands to Heaven" now, and do a few lessons a day with everyone, or at least age 5 on down, just as a great prep for the 5 yo for LHFHG and as something great to do with the littles that you can do again later with them when they'd take more from it. But if you foresee the 5 yo being ready for LHFHG when you start it anyway, this is probably not necessary - though fun - or maybe that would be too much for now, and it's easier just to think ahead to starting the 2 olders in LHFHG, which is just fine too! But, what are your thoughts?

In Christ,
Julie