Need advice - what to do with 6 year old

[jacynamommy]

Ladies,
I am looking ahead at the fall and trying to figure out what to do with my will-be 6 year old (birthday mid-August). I'll try to keep this short. Because she was just 5 last fall (and technically would not have started Kindergarten in our public school until this fall), I tried to go half-paced with her this past school year using LHFHG. I didn't really have time to do full-time school with her because of adjusting to having 3 doing school work and on top of my 5, we've had 3 older foster kids for part of the year. My daughter didn't like slow-paced...she's a go-getter and begged to do "school" daily. I let her work at her own pace on her Singapore Kindergarten math and the handwriting and Rod & Staff workbooks because she just couldn't get enough! She FLEW through them. We did History/Science, etc. at less than half-pace because I could just not get to it every day with all else going on and figured it wasn't a big deal since she was so young. Well, that bring me to our situation that I'm trying to figure out...she's nearly done with all her math and workbooks (handwriting and R&S) and she's reading like a pro (still finishing the Reading Lesson but she is so far ahead of what my other kids were at this age as far as reading goes). So in the fall, should I just forget the rest of the LHFHG and move on to Beyond with her since she's ready for more like 1st grade math, writing, etc.? Or because she's young (will just have turned 6 and I know my other kids didn't do Beyond until 1st/2nd grade), should I finish LFHFG (which we still have 75% of to work through) and use the math, writing, etc. for the next level with it? I'm really not sure what I should do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[MomtoJGJE]

My daughter who was 6 last October was in the same spot. We are still working through LHFHG I am letting her go through math, handwriting (she finished FMS LONG ago) and I'm doing the Emerging Readers and spelling from Beyond. I would NOT suggest skipping the rest of LHFHG. First of all, she's very young. Second of all, Beyond builds on to LHFHG.

[StephanieU]

We are sort of in this place too. We just found HOD, but my daughter has already completed Horizons K for math and phonics and started grade 1. So, we are going to do LHFHG this year, continue the 1st grade math and phonics, and start the emerging readers from Beyond once she is ready (she is working on speed and stamina in reading now, as she CAN read a level 1 reader but she just won't). I like the idea of starting spelling too, so we might add that once we start the emerging readers too.

[raindrops]

Since she is young, I would say finish LHFHG. Are you all adjusted to your situation now?
We're nearing the end of Little Hands now and it is sooooo wonderful! The activities are so age appropriate.

Since your daughter enjoys workbooks, maybe you could get some new rod and staff and a math workbook from a bookstore for her to do? And since she is good at math, what about some games like Tangram puzzles to do when you need to do something for math? Or a game like Hi Ho cherry-Oh! Which involves adding and subtracting.

[bethelmommy]

I agree with the other ladies- finish LHFHG. Since my oldest two are combined, my oldest works a guide ahead in the basics and it hasn't been a problem at all. Eventually two guides aren't needed once the hands on math activities are completed in Bigger since there are multiple levels of math, dictation, etc... scheduled in the guides.

[my3sons]

Such great advice here already! I agree 100%. LHFHG is about much more than just reading and workbooks completion. Having history, science, Bible, Storytime, etc. every day, along with all of the skills that are follow-ups to those subject areas, really does so much to prepare dc for Beyond Little Hearts... Plus, it will be easier to consistently begin to do LHFHG daily than it will to do Beyond. Takes less time! I'd enjoy LHFHG along with its 1st grade handwriting workbook (if needed), and use the Beyond TG for the ERS, spelling list 1, and hands-on math. HTH!

In Christ ,
Julie

[jacynamommy]

As always, you ladies gave me some great advice. Thanks for taking the time to respond! As suggested I will continue with LHFHG. You are right...too many great, fun things to skip over!