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If you are new to HOD, have you asked yourself if HOD is enough?
If you have already started, have you tried to ADD ON other curriculums?
Do you sometimes feel like your kids are not getting enough when you hear other homeschool moms talk about ALL THE WORK their kids have to finish?

Well, I am guilty of all and have come to confess. Really and truly, ladies, Carrie obviously has been through all of this and has put together something beautiful for our children. We are currently in Beyond - unit 13 - and I have come to realize that there is no need to fret over adding anything.

Nature Study? it's there. If you want more, have school outdoors.
Music? it's there. Or enroll in music lessons if you want more.
Art? it's there. If you want more, go to a museum.
Science? it's there. In just the right amount.
Foreign Language? move to another country or speak your native language at home...a book is not going to compare.
Holiday themes? OK. do we really need another lapbook, craft, etc. to add to our busy lives? Just take a break from school and enjoy your traditions!

It seems that our culture is always anxious for the next "newest thing", instead of doing the thing that we have before us correctly and enjoying these special moments in time.

HOD is complete, flexible and Godly.
Thanks Carrie & Julie!
Dorla

Dorla I so agree! I would drown in a curriculum that had every second of our day scripted and left no room to explore more the ideas that are already there. Today we were able to add some reading from Max Lucado on Christmas, extend some things we had on the shelf that fit our study in HOD. And explore deeper in the Bible what is on my heart to explore with my children. HOD allows me to add all the character and Bible I wish, to explore all the Science I want and finish all the stuff on my shelf I never got to before while still having a wonderfully program that covers all we need and more. It's a wonderful combination of covering it all while allowing for more. God has a different plan for all of us and we need the freedom to explore the things He calls us to as individuals while still covering what He calls us all to teach our kids as a group.

I am not always good at coming up with the ideas on my own but there is so much in HOD it is hard to not find bunny trails to chase and I love having the freedom to do that along the way or not depending on how I feel and know in the end we have it covered and using something that honors God. There is so much there that I could never pull off on my own but can with the backbone of HOD. Really it is a lesson in connecting and organizing to have a flow in your day as much as it is a wonderful curriculum. I would hate to see how we would flounder without it!

True indeed, if I just did Bigger without reading any of the extension pack, we'd have a very full day. So that's where we are headed.

We've been doing the extension pack as read alouds, but I'm not sure my 8yo is really getting anything out of the Exploring Planet Earth or Child's Story of America books. He enjoys the main history readings and they are just right, without my going in and adding on the extensions for older kids... Too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing. Although my kids are enjoying the extra living books like Almost Home and Pedro's Journal. So I'm just going to remove those two spines from our baskets and forget about them. We don't need them!

I have a bittersweet reply to this post. Some circumstances have come up that have pushed me to enroll our oldest in public school. We will still be doing the left side of Beyond and all the great storytime read alouds. Anyway, today was her first day...she's in 2nd grade. They've been testing her today just to see where she is academically. The teacher said most kids test into the end of the first or middle of the second test for spelling placement...my dd passed both and will move on to the 3rd test tomorrow! All from doing spelling the CM way! The teacher was also impressed with the Singapore math text and basically said my dd is ahead in all areas but still has to test her. I know the spelling was something I had a hard time letting go of and doing it as written, but I'm so glad I did! Carrie, thank you so much for an academically sound (and wonderfully fun!) program to do with our children!

Also, dd cried her eyes out when I talked to her about going to school...she didn't want to miss story time or any cool experiements like the "whale blubber" (lard) covered hand in the sink.