heartofdakota.com

Hello everyone! Some of you may remember me from a couple of years ago, but for those of you who don't, my name is Stephanie and I have an 8 year old son, Samuel. We used LHTH & LHFHG for preschool & kindergarten. Then we switched to Sonlight - mainly because it was the first curriculum I had stumbled upon years ago when we first started thinking about homeschooling and I had always envisioned us using it. I love books and loved the concept of Sonlight. We've used it for the past 3 years, and I keep being drawn back to HOD. I like Sonlight, but it is not working for my wiggly boy. He wants more than just reading, reading, reading. He wants activities and projects. I've been pulling stuff together myself to do with him, but I'm getting burnt out on that and neither of us is having fun anymore. So, we are finishing out this year (3rd grade) with Sonlight, and then will be back with HOD in the fall. I'm so excited!

He would probably place in Preparing, but we have been doing World History (using Child's History of the World) for the last 2 years, so I hate to jump right into that again. He hasn't had any American History, so I think I'm going to back him up into Bigger with extensions. We also school year round so my plan is to just pick up a new guide whenever we finish and hopefully get through the guides up to MTMM by the end of 8th grade (so 6 guides in 5 years). That way we can be on track for the high school guides and on a normal school schedule for 9th-12th.

I'm excited to join you guys here even though we aren't officially using HOD yet! I told my husband one of the things I missed most about not using HOD was this awesome board and all you wonderful ladies!

Hi Stephanie! It is wonderful to hear from you, and I do remember you well! I bet your little boy has grown. He was one of the most precious little boys to see in those pictures you used to take. I still see him as that little boy! I bet he looks older now. My Wyatt, who you might remember, is now 14 years old and 5 foot 10 inches tall! Oh my! Where does the time go?!? I like your idea of starting him in Bigger Hearts. I think the extensions might be too tough, as they are for 10 and 11 yo dc to read on their own, but you will know best. Good to hear from you!

In Christ,
Julie

Hi Julie! Yes, Samuel has grown! I can't believe it sometimes when I look at him! I'm sure your boys are all getting big. Time passes by so quickly!

The reason I was going to add extensions to Bigger was because it said they were for 4th & 5th grade. He will turn 9 in March and we would be doing Bigger for 4th. Do you not think we would need him? Are they meant to be read together or done independently by him? He loves reading and being read to so if I don't use the extensions what about just getting the books as extra read alouds and not having him do any of the assignments that go along with them. Would that be too much on top of everything else?

The kids HAVE grown - so much!!! As far as the extensions, they are meant to be read by the child independently. However, if you love to do lots of read alouds, with a 9 yo, I think at the BHFHG level that could still work. You will be reading quite a bit though. They are chosen more for their ability to be read silently than for them to be read aloud - in other words, some of the readings could be lengthy. You could start without them and add them a month in if you wanted? Or, you could get them and just read them as time allowed if it got to be too much on a daily basis? I confess I can't stay away from them either. They are great books. I have ended up getting all the extensions for my dc's free reading time. I just put them on their shelves a year or two after they completed the guide, as then they are more ready maturity-wise to read and enjoy them on their own. HTH! Glad you are here!

In Christ,
Julie

I remember you! Nice to have you back. Daisy recently came back as well. You may remember her.
Laura

Stephanie,
Welcome back! Has it actually been three years? It doesn't seem that long ago. I also remember your pictures and especially the videos of your adorable ds that you would post.

We are just coming back as well. We took this year to focus on our adopted dd's math and reading. She is in 4th grade and has continually struggled in those areas. She has dyslexia and is just now finishing the ER books. Thankfully, her reading is getting better and better. The math will be slow going. We will pick up with Preparing next fall. I am looking forward to it. I really like having things planned out for me, and I have really appreciated HOD's book choices. My dd also loves to be read to. I don't know if she will be ready for the independent reading, but I'll wait and see.

Anyway, good to have you back. Hope you will post pictures when you start Bigger.