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Hello all, I posted the below on the FB page but, since this is the official moderated site I wanted to post here as well. (Carrie, if you're reading, would love your input)

Hello all. I'm new here and am planning on starting Preparing with my 8 yr old 4th grader (will be 9 in Dec.) K-3rd has been with A Beka DVDs. I did do The very first HOD book when she was Pre-k but moved to A Beka for K because I felt i needed something more meatier. Each year since my attitude towards schooling has become more and more of "let's get school done so we can move on with our day." I find myself disliking HS more each year because theres no fun in it. I want something more engaging for us both. I love A Beka, it has taught my dtr well and we will still do some core stuff but my dtr finds the video difficult to sit thru...takes too long and too boring. I chose the video originally because I didn't want her to miss anything through my style of teaching (I'm more black and white, structured and rule oriented) It was also a good security blanket for me. She is more play oriented so although my intentions were good, for both our sanity I need to try something else and I had fond memories of when we did HOD.
My questions center around....she is placing in either Preparing or CTC but I'm hearing Preparing is more fun so thought I would start there. A Beka took about 4-5 hours...similar? Dtr likes movement, role playing, acting things out, more kinesthetic and A Beka was losing her interest. If she got bored she was easily distracted and would just shut down. Would HOD be a good fit for this type of learner? shes good in all subjects but has favored reading and history. I understand this is a CM approach which I don't know much about. I'm looking for something engaging for her, structured for me and that allows me to still handle my other responsibilities in managing the home and taking care of my 6 month old. I've been going back and forth between HOD, Sonlight and just browsing MFW. Any comments or suggestions on any part of this novel post would be most helpful. Thanks!!

Hi! We have recently finished Preparing and absolutely loved it! I used it with a 8 and 10 year old and they both did great. It's a guide I wouldn't miss if you could help it! It gives a wonderful overview of world history using Grandpa's Box and Child's History of the World - two excellent books! The history read-alouds from Preparing have become some of our all-time favorite books as well. I think you will find the HOD programs engaging to your daughter and the guide couldn't be easier to teach from. The boxes with the daily plans keep it organized and neatly divided into subjects. There's enough variety to keep in engaging (discussions, experiments, projects, etc) but enough repetition/rotation to keep it doable .

I would hesitate beginning with CTC since the CM style of learning (living books, written and oral narrations, etc.) sounds like it would be new to your daughter. Also, in my research, I have found Carrie's book choices (and age recommendations for those books) to be the best out there .

Hope that helps!

We also just finished Preparing for my oldest dd's 4th grade year. It is a great program for 4th grade as well as for someone new to Charlotte Mason and HOD. It will really get her "prepared" for the older guides. It is the first guide they do written narrations in, so it will teach you and her how to do them. I would definitely not start an 8 year old in CTC for the first time doing CM and HOD.... it would be a steep learning curve for both of you and will just not be as much fun.

Preparing is my favorite year (although I love them all)! I think it will be a great year for both of you. I used Abeka with my oldest when they were young, and I still use their 1st grade phonics. I have used some of the other publishers you are looking at as well, and HOD gets my vote. I think your daughter will love the interaction with you, and I bet you will have shorter days. There are so many skills covered in Preparing that is a great HOD starting point, and since it looks like a good fit for your daughter, you may just find it nearly perfect.