heartofdakota.com

We have come back to HOD as it looks like several other people have! And now I am wondering why in the world we ever left it?! At the time I just, I don't know, thought it would be better to go it on my own. We were so busy at the time--I thought I was simplifying. That was, oh, about 7-8 months ago now. At the time I had 1 in Preparing, 2 combined in LHFHG, and 1 toddler who was having tons of dr's appts and therapy.

Coming back has been such a breath of fresh air. Seriously. My oldest is finishing up the last few units of Preparing that we just didn't finish for some reason. We wanted to be sure to get back up on some skills before starting CTC in a month or so. And Preparing is just too good to not finish.

In my break though I have learned that my 2 middle kids just don't need to be combined. Some of my feelings for needing to do something else I think were due to having those two placed inaccurately. I think the oldest of the two was fine in LHFHG, but even though the youngest of the 2 was capable, it just wasn't the right fit. And quite honestly, it made it harder having to combine. I had waited and waited, essentially holding my ds back until his sister was old enough, and then it just wasn't right, making everything harder than it should have been. So now my ds is doing Beyond, and my dd is just working on phonics and math for us to re-start LHFHG in August for 1st grade for her.

Our first few days back have been so lovely. It just *feels* right. It is so much easier to just go with what is planned for us, knowing that we will start the next guide when we finish this one, no planning needed! (Except for in the languages we add.) My kids just seem happy to be back with HOD--it's comfortable for them. And really, we are getting done pretty quickly. We do add Spanish and Latin, and Life of Fred because we just think it's fun, but even with that (+ my youngest needing me), we have still been able to get done by 2 with starting around 9. It's running so smoothly.

So I will plead insanity for my brief absence. When I made that decision, it seriously was a super, hectic time, what with the youngest's health issues, and I thought that trying to combine them in something was the right thing to do then. It is still busy, although some things with that have gotten better (she graduated from her ECI therapy!), and it just seemed right to return to where we started with HSing. I'm so glad to be using HOD again!

Thanks so much for sharing your story, Mommamo, and I'm glad you are here! I sometimes read posts where moms are working so hard to try to combine, and I feel inadequate trying to explain that when you have to work that hard to combine, and have to plan that much across years to make it happen, it may just mean it's better to separate. Your story explains this better than any post I could try to put together. It's a journey, isn't it? This homeschooling commitment. It's not one to take lightly, and oh the time we as moms spend contemplating, praying, and planning for our dear, dear children. Thanks for sharing your insight here, and also your heart. Your dc are blessed to have such a caring, thoughtful mother for their teacher.

In Christ,
Julie

Its seems to be a theme right now,prodigal Hod'ers returning to the fold.

Welcome back! We also came back recently and are loving it! One thing I realized is that when I was doing HOD before, I worried too much that it wasn't enough and kept feeling that I had to add in a ton of stuff. I think adding all the extra stuff added unnecessary stress and ultimately led us to find something else. However, in the time we've been away, I've seen the new guides Carrie has released and it has given me added confidence that I don't need to add a ton of stuff. Most everything I was stressing out before is included later on in the upper guides. That has been such a relief to me to know that everything is taken care of and I can just follow the plans. We do use a different math and add extra science because my son asks for it. But if he ever decides he doesn't want to do it anymore I am confident that he will be just fine with Carrie's choices. I agree with you completely that it has been "a breath of fresh air"!

Your post really speaks to me...and Julie's kind words make perfect sense to me. My dc are still small, but I too have put tons of thought into how to combine my youngest two...when they are big enough, making a little time line even for down the road...I know, that's bad But, I have been thinking just let me second son go where he need to be for now and see how it goes, and not try to keep him where he could be with little sis down the road...like 2 years from now...I know, again, that's bad!...thanks for sharing your story, and also of coming back to HOD....when I look at all the choices out there , I too think something else might be "better" some how...but why change something that aint broke..lol

Momof3kids,
I'm so glad my post was helpful! That's one of the reasons I went ahead and posted. I want people to be able to learn from my mistakes. I tried so hard for my middle to to be combined, and I wanted it so badly since they are such buddies, and it just wasn't right. Now they are still listening to what the other is doing, but it's different with them having their own separate school. (And I know there are differing opinions about letting the youngers listen in, but it has always been okay for us because the other doesn't always end up staying the whole time and will just quietly leave to go play, and the stories so far seem to still be new for them.)

Samuel'sMommy,
I think seeing where Carrie has gone with everything has helped cure my need for "extras." I now see that stuff WILL get covered. I was adding art. No longer doing that. Well, there were other things as well that I was adding that I'm no longer adding. As I mentioned, we are still doing Latin and Spanish and will probably be adding French or German soon, but that is just important to us. It is by no means necessary. It definitely is nice to see exactly where everything is heading, though, isn't it? And I'm glad you guys are back, too. I remember your little guy, who I guess is not so little anymore!

Anyway, thanks everyone for the welcome back. I was looking back and we stopped using HOD around late March last year, so it was just really a semester + a little that we were gone, but it was long enough to help us realize what we want from school.

So, I'm a prodigal? That's a good way to put it. I didn't leave for the same reasons as those already mentioned. I just became so frustrated with how things were going with my dd's problems in math and reading. I didn't know where to turn. But, God gave us what we needed in that season (winter) of our homeschooling journey. The Lord has brought us through that storm and the sun is shining again. This spring, I am going to purchase Preparing, so I can get ready to begin in August. God led me to HOD almost 4 years ago, and I believe He is the one leading me back. There is not going to be merry-making, but in my heart I will be quietly thanking the Lord for bringing us to this place. I'm truly looking forward to starting HOD once again.

"If it ain't broke..."

This speaks to me. I have only used HOD. While I talk to a lot of other HS-ers who use other things, and even hear from a very close friend who uses various eclectic things and plans them herself, I have been so blessed and so happy with HOD that I can't imagine using anything else! Sometimes the temptation is great to add something in also, when I see or hear about a great resource, but I don't want to complicate life, and I don't want to burn my kiddos out on school.

I let the younger ones listen in (well let anyone listen in to another's school as long as they aren't supposed to be doing something else). My oldest is reading her DITHR book to her sisters because we have all gotten so wrapped up in it, they want to know what happens. It is so fun this way, though I know I can't reuse the DITHR especially with the next sister in line because she will have heard it recently.