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I am pretty new here and have been reading many threads on placement, adding Canadian content, and how the programs work etc. These threads are FULL of great information. Thank you for sharing here, as it is so helpful to us just discovering HOD. I thought I had our level picked out, but the more I read, I wonder. I have taught my children together for much of our subjects and years so far. My DD11 and DS8 love together subjects and do their own language arts and math.

So, DD11, January baby, my reader. Love, love, loves to read and narrates well. Reading only clicked with her last spring and she has ran with it! Writing is not as strong as reading but she has made slow steady progress in her creative writing. She can give good concise 3-4 sentence written narrations. It just takes he time to plan and process a bit first. She love nature science, art, handcrafts, and definitely a self propeller. Currently doing WRiting With Ease 3, Language Lessons for the Elementary Child, 21 Ballons novel study, Math For A Living Education 4, Life of Fred Goldfish, anatomy unit, and we are using Five in A Row Volume 4 together. Started R&S English 5, but put it aside, not quite time for that yet.

DS8, December baby, kinda wish I would have waited the extra year before enrolling him as a Kindergarten home school student. Not quite through with phonics yet. Reading is coming along. Has just finished reading through the Grade 1 Pathways readers and currently reading Mouse Tales - Arnold Lobel. He has very good printing, great at copy work and dictation going a few words at a time. Just starting original sentence writing. Doing well with math, loves science, art, building, hands on stuff. Currently doing Writing With Ease 1, Language Lessons For the Very Young Vol 1, Explode the Code book 4, Math For A Living Education 2, Life of Fred Cats, anatomy unit, FIAR Vol 4 with sister. He has started R&S English 2 in end of February but not finishing it this year.

Oh yeah, we also do Song School Latin,Character Through Literature Pack, and scripture memory verses together.
Hopefully that gives you a good picture of where they are at and what we are coming from. Please edit out the program titles if you would like. Seeing as I am not promoting these curricula, but listing for Assesment, I thought it ok.

I was thinking that we could do Preparing together and they do their own math and R&S English levels. DITHOR 2/3 for my son, DITHOR 4/5 for my daughter.
Because of the learning outcomes here, I have to add some social studies. DD11 has to start ancient history for sept 2014, so hoping to do CTC then. My dilemma is if DS would be able to manage that. Or even Preparing this fall? Do I split them. I thought I had this thought through. Even had some wonderful messaging with waterandclay about it. So.... what do you think?

bumping up, hoping for insight. Been thinking DS8 would be Beyond or Bigger according to his reading/writing. Or maybe I have just been thinking about this too hard.

Have you already looked through the placement chart? Seems like if you've been hanging around the boards you would have looked at it, but in case you haven't yet: https://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

I would say just from what I have read it sounds like your children need different guides in order to really excel. I think you might find that it is actually more work to try to make them both fit into a guide that's in between them, or beef up Bigger to the level your older child needs, than it would be to use two guides mostly as written. It may take you a while when you first start and everyone is getting used to the routine/subjects and what is expected of them. But I think once you get into it you'll find it runs really smoothly when your child is in the right guide for them and running more than one at a time isn't difficult. Things you could combine or allow them to work together on: DITHOR - this is designed for multiple levels to partially do together anyway, at least the kick off to the genre and the project at the end they could work together on. Storytime - always fun to combine read-alouds if the other child is interested in listening to them (though you may want to do this with the younger one's read-alouds in case you continue with HOD and he will end up in the same guide). Activities - as you see fit, if one child is done with their work and wants to join in what the other is doing. Scripture Memory and Hymns - pick from one of the guides maybe.

I guess my concern is my DS8, who lands in many Beyond and Bigger boxes on the Placement Chart. Is it wise to go with the child being older in a level or mid?

I do see that pushing him up to Preparing would not be the best choice. But where to put him then?

It sounds like you really want them together. If the guide your younger one fits into has extensions for your older, do that. I would not try to put him up into something he isn't ready for and might end up dreading school time. Or do it separately just to try. I really enjoy it and have several different levels.