heartofdakota.com

I didn't really know how to title this, or even how to present it, but it's been in my mind for quite some time. I know there have been moms/families who use HOD or have used HOD during long term sicknesses & difficult situations.
I was wishing that there could be a place just for such topics, off the main board, where moms could share how they used HOD under adverse circumstances. We all get hick-ups in our days where things don't go smoothly, but I'm thinking of those who are in or have been in the on-going difficulties. I would like to hear how these families worked HOD, any modifications & such that enabled them to stay with the program. No, some things might not be the ideal way, but for these types of situations, it let you stay with what you loved and your children still could benefit from it.

Can you share a little bit more about your circumstance? If so, it might help me or others to respond. I know for myself, I have used it and made it very independent for my kiddos. I know others have switched out math at times or maybe subbed writing to another curriculum/teacher. But with out more info, it is hard to give more advice.

It's my understanding that board moderators want to stick as close as possible to doing the guides exactly as written so any deviations from that or any advise to do differently are discouraged on this board. I was made aware these types of questions are on the facebook site. I do not have facebook so that is no help to me.(Nor do we want to have it)
We have a few guides and know that there are the 'use your own curriculum' options for math and language arts.
I was just thinking that we could have a separate place at this website for such questions. Let the main board be what it is intended for.
We are not using any HOD guides this year simply because we sensed God leading us to other curriculum for our each of our children.
It came to me that God could also show us how WE are to use HOD if ever we feel led to come back. He alone knows best our circumstances, stamina levels of each of us, mental endurance, our own individual heart needs, and what the year holds for us as a family. God can show us what to do and He doesn't need forums, boards, facebook, or internet to do it! He can uses those things, but He doesn't NEED to.
God bless you all!

We've not had to school through any serious illness, thankfully, but we're trying to use HOD this year with some really busy schedules. My older two kids (7th and 9th grades) are dual-enrolled at the public school each afternoon-for some extra curricular types of classes, and the guides they are in do not allow all their work to get done in the morning hours...I guess if we were more "morning people" we could potentially do it, starting at 5 or 6 am...just isn't going to happen at my house! It also seems we've had many other errands to run in the am hours-eye Dr appts, chiropractor appts, etc. All of it involves at least an hour of travel time. My husband is trucking over the road for right now and is not available to help with any driving to these things while I work with our other kids. I was feeling very overwhelmed with everything the past couple of months...began to consider enrolling them all in public school for the first time! I teach piano lessons 4 afternoons a week, and there were many days that I was teaching from 9 am to about 10 pm! I was praying for some answer that would save my sanity!!
What we've settled in with is doing night school. Now that football season is done, my kids are home by 4 pm. They come in the door, and are to bypass all devices and get started on school work. We keep our supper very simple-we've switched our bigger meal to lunch time-and with these uninterrupted hours we are sometimes able to get done by 8 or 9 pm. Not perfect, but it gives me some hours in the morning to do laundry, dishes, and just enjoy being Mom without the pressure of the next thing we have to get done. We do have some days where this does not work-we have AWANA/Youth Group on Wednesday nights, and sometimes another evening with commitments. So, on those days we have to try to get things done in the morning hours. We use our 5th day, and often Saturday, as a makeup or catch up day. I also give my kids the option of getting a head start in the morning hours if they wish to not have so much to do at night. So far, though, they've not chosen to do that-a sure sign that they were needing some breathing room as badly as Mom was! It's just amazing how much longer everything takes with short starts and frequent interruptions-my advice if it's a scheduling issue you're facing, is to try to find fewer uninterrupted hours and get as much done as you can. If something does not get done on the day it's supposed to, pick up there the next day and work as far as you can. Use Saturdays if needed to finish up the week's work. Blessings! Hope some solution works out for you!