How will this work for multiple ages

[Anchors]

My children are 5, 3, and due in a few months

I've started LHFHG with my 5yr old and we love it!!! I love how Bible, History, Science, etc are woven together in an open and close curriculum yet I still have the freedom to follow my child's pace with the three R's.

That being said, I'm having a difficult time imagining how this will all work in a few years when I have 3 kids schooling. My 3yr old participates in the action songs, listening to the readers and Bible, etc but he's free to come and go. I'm not sure I am seeing how I will be able to combine instruction when my oldest is 7 and his brother is 5. They'll be in LHFHG and Bigger Hearts for His Glory.

Please tell me this is do-able since I love the curriculum!

[MelInKansas]

Bless you and your sweet family! We all asked the same question at that stage. Just keep in mind, right now is actually one of your toughest, most involved time in parenting and homeschooling. As your children grow older, they can help more, and they can do more on their own. You will have playmates for your little ones and they can take turns playing with little one(s) while you do school with another child. Also the second/third time through a guide it is so smooth and easy to do! Unless your kids are pretty close in skills or you have a reason to wait with one until you can combine them in a guide, I really think keeping them in separate guides is the way to go.

As it is a few years down the road I won't overwhelm you with details on how you could do it, just let you know that it is definitely do-able and easier than you would think. With HOD being open-and-go you won't spend a lot of time planning for school, though as the guides move up you will spend more time doing school with your children until they start being more independent in Preparing Hearts. Just enjoy your little ones and the sweet, quick and easy time you are having of it now! God will give you the grace you need to school them when you get there.

[Nealewill]

I also have been very pleasant surprised at how easy it is run multiple guides. Now, I will say that when your kids are younger, you are spending more time with them. But even before I used HOD, you still are teaching the 3rs to your children separately. So HOD doesn't really add much time to my schedule in general for Bible, History and Science. And especially once your children hit preparing, they are then teaching themselves quite a bit. I came from a curriculum where you schooled everyone together and this was not a good fit for me. Some of the books were too hard and some too easy. Every one fought. No one was happy. I was definitely not happy. I know for my oldest - this program is totally her learning style. With my son, he loves it but he struggled with fine motor skills very badly. But in a lot of ways, this program has been great because it has really challenged him. And he has embraced the challenge (honestly - the funniest thing is that I don't think he actually realizes he has a problem LOL). He did go to OT for a while but they mainly helped him build up muscles. They said the more he practiced his skills, the better he would get. So he has had to cut stuff out, color, paint, glue colored dots of paper onto a picture and all kinds of other great activties. He is never going to be an artist because God just didn't make him that way. But with HOD, he has been able to have fun while he is building up his fine motor skills.

[Nealewill]

I also have been very pleasant surprised at how easy it is run multiple guides. Now, I will say that when your kids are younger, you are spending more time with them. But even before I used HOD, you still are teaching the 3rs to your children separately. So HOD doesn't really add much time to my schedule in general for Bible, History and Science. And especially once your children hit preparing, they are then teaching themselves quite a bit. I came from a curriculum where you schooled everyone together and this was not a good fit for me. Some of the books were too hard and some too easy. Every one fought. No one was happy. I was definitely not happy. I know for my oldest - this program is totally her learning style. With my son, he loves it but he struggled with fine motor skills very badly. But in a lot of ways, this program has been great because it has really challenged him. And he has embraced the challenge (honestly - the funniest thing is that I don't think he actually realizes he has a problem LOL). He did go to OT for a while but they mainly helped him build up muscles. They said the more he practiced his skills, the better he would get. So he has had to cut stuff out, color, paint, glue colored dots of paper onto a picture and all kinds of other great activties. He is never going to be an artist because God just didn't make him that way. But with HOD, he has been able to have fun while he is building up his fine motor skills.

[Anchors]

Thank you guys for the kind, encouraging words!

Nealewill, my 5yr old is a reluctant writer and has had some OT as well!

I think I'm a bit engulfed in things with my children's current ages and forget they will do more independent work as they get older.

[Nealewill]

Oh yes - I promise it does get better. And it is such an awesome day when you see that happen.