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DH has finally decided to stop pushing the "sending the kids to school" thing, which I am SO greatful for. He understands my purpose for homeschooling now and knows that I wouldn't be happy if we sent them to school, even private school. So that stress is over. BUT, he has taken a look at what we're doing, considered the time he spends with the kids (or lack thereof), considered the behavior of our youngest, and the fact that my pregnancy will only get closer and closer to an end and we'll have a newborn before we know it. So, his decision is that he wants to take over science and Bible with the kids using a multi-level program (not sure of his Bible plans, but he wants to do Considering God's Creation with them since it's once per week and good for multi-age...it's his subjects now so he gets to choose). That sounds great, but that leaves me not the Bible or Science lessons in HOD (the point is to take some of my time commitment, not just add to his, so doing both isn't an option...this is his first attempt to help with schooling, so I'm going to welcome it with open arms!). But, he has also decided that I need to find a way to combine the kids for everything else except math/reading/LA. He would also wants me to be able to fold in the youngest as he grows and keep them all together as much as possible all the way through until they start high school, but at least wants it to be like this for this season of our lives while he's in school, there's a difficult toddler, and a brand new baby. So although it isn't completely permanent, we're looking at at least a good 1-2 years.

I need your help to see if I can make this work for our dc. I was starting LHFHG and Bigger with them this summer. But, now I have to rethink the plan. If I can't make HOD work to combine like this, he says he wants me to find something that I can.

There are currently 5.5 and just turned 8. Youngest will be 3 Sept. 27th, new one is due Dec. 6 (will be here earlier!). They are starting K and 3rd.
Placement chart wise, they are perfect fit for Little Hearts and Preparing.
2.5yo ID's all upper and lower case letters, some sounds, won't sit still for reading except a couple pages of pictures, loves LeapFrog videos, and mess making. Can't work on his fine motor skills due to a lack of cooperation so even if I give him things to do independently, he destroys it. Hmmm...he's kinda the root stress here. But not all of it.
5yo is on lesson 27 in RME. Starting Singapore EarlyBird Math 2A, but is ready for more (he is getting close to 6)...I might pick up the pace just a little for a short bit since he's losing interest in math. He is able to do multi-step word problems from real life using a mix of add/subt. without help or prompting, just b/c he likes to. He doens't like to listen to me read so much, but will, even without pictures. He prefers audio books and will listen for hours and can "draw" out the story (I just can't tell what it is, so he has to tell me about it ). He isn't able to orally narrate without the picture or answer comp. questions after a reading. He is ready for simple CVC word spelling but I'll let him do words from our RME lesson on the white board once a week.
8yo dd is moving up to more independent work and is ready for the work in Preparing, but we stuck with Bigger to allow her to mature and also to allow for the independence she prefers. We don't work well together, she doesn't like to be read to, prefers to read to herself or an audio book. I think the highest level book she has read and enjoyed is Little Pilgrims Progress...he comprehension depends not just on level, but on interest. She can read high level, high interest books and understand every word. She can read lower level, low interest books and not catch a thing. She is not as highly interested in the history this year in Bigger. After a quick sweep through Beyond last year since I wanted to finish before we started moving and because I chose a level below where she placed to allow us to adjust and keep our days shorter...it's just such a quick jump back to the same topics and she's getting a little bored. Had we taken a full year then a full summer break, it would be fine. She has an interest in Botany and Ancient history. She is soon to start Singapore 3A, and is part way through unit 1 of R&S 3. She is on and off in DITHOR 2/3 using the level 3 books now. She can write in cursive but not very pretty...needs some touch up over the summer. We started with BJU and she is having a hard time transitioning to a new style, so I think I'll just let her go back to BJU for their cursive for an easier transition. She can write longer passages now and sometimes writes her own fables...she LOVES Aesop and loves to model his writings. She would love to start a creative writing program now, but I want to continue as Carrie recommends and get her oral narration improved then do written narration then writing. She can't narrate well orally, but can narrate better written. I've started having her dictate an outline paragraph by paragraph to get the main idea and have her narrate from that. She's doing incredibly well with the dictation in Bigger and is on number 53 now. We've only repeated one and it was for a capital "I".

Any help?

I just wanted to add my goal is to stay with HOD if at all possible, and I can't submit to dh's wishes and stay with HOD too, then my goal would be to do something to get by for these 1-2 years then come back to HOD. I am enjoying both Little Hearts and Bigger so much, but dh is certain combining is what we need to do, including adding in the younger in 2 more years when he is about 5. (Hopefully, things will have calmed down and I can be back to HOD or back to the right HOD levels for each by then though!)

If I can't make this work, I'm afraid dh will insist on sending them to school since we're in such a "great" public school district.

Sorry, I don't have any advice for you, but I will pray that the Lord will give you wisdom and discernment so that you know what His will is. My husband originally only wanted me to homeschool for Kindergarten and now is calling me a pioneer for homeschooling in our neighborhood. He hasn't just come out and said, "You can homeschool as long as you want." But he is thinking along those lines. I say that to let you know that I understand a Mother's longing to homeschool while above everything else a desire to respect your husband's wishes!!

After reading through your post a little, I think it is possible to stay with HOD with your children. I do not see you being able to combine all 4 children with the age differences without either bringing it down for some or pulling others along that aren't ready yet. That said, I think you should put your just turned 8 doing the left side of LHFHG with your almost 6 yr. old. I am actually doing this with my ds6 and ds7 (8 in August). Then use the right side of BHFHG with her except the science since Dad is taking over in that. I often have my dd7 read our storytime or our history aloud some. Then have them move up the left side of the guides together.
I think you should try and wait and start your 2.5 yr old and your soon to be born dc until your unborn will be ready for LHTH in 2-2.5 years and have them go up the guides together. I would continue videos and fun stuff with the 2.5 year old and not stress too much.
If I had the ages that you do and the requirement of trying to keep them together in subjects, then I would just try to talk dh into keeping the older 2 together and the younger 2 together. It would keep you from starting 2 programs for a couple of years yet.
Just b/c you live in a good school district doesn't mean it is a good school for children. A good school district is normally characterized by more professional's children attending, high test scores, and money contributed by parents. We live in a good school district that obsesses over test scores, tolerates bullying, and asks for money every week. Hearing from parents and school boards that it is a good school district does not tell you what it would be like day in and day out for your children. These are some of the reasons that we are trying home school and hopefully leaving behind our good school district.
Val

I agree Val, you hit the nail on the head with the "good school distict" wow, it's so nice to see other mom's seeing and believing the same thind as me!!!

Tamara- sorry that life is so chaotic for you right now. Seems like just when you think you know what you are doing the tide changes. I pray that you find peace in whatever the right decision is. I agree that combining all four is going to be possible so I'd try the two and two if you have to combine.

I agree with the school district stuff completely...that's why I did the quotes on "great". DH and I are trying to find the time to browse through the guides together to see how to make this fit this season we're going though better, without messing up any of the kids' progress. He really wants me in one guide (besides basics) and I so wish he'd just use the science and Bible from the guide, but if he's teaching it, he has to get something he can work with on his schedule and the way his mind works.

As the days go by, God is really laying it on my heart that it's important that I make an effort to have some family learning time within our schooling. I know HOD is flexible and wonderful and God will help us work it all out. This time of condensing has become quite a stress in and of itself though! If I can at least get the right side of each guide down each day, I'll be happy with that for now. LOL

I have a cardiology appointment on Friday and hopefully, the progress made there will help get me on the road to feeling more like myself. I have had heart issues for almost 7 years, with 2x a day meds that make me a little groggy...pregnancy is complicating matters. I'm praying this is where much of my physical roadblocks are coming from since it is something that can be fixed. Then maybe DH will see the improvement and we can continue HOD just the way we started!

I am new to HOD as I am to homeschooling. I can very much relate to the good school district thing. I not only live in a good school district, there are only two in Laredo, TX, but I also live across the street from the best public school in town. It was so hard mailing my letter of intent to homeschool because I had finally gotten what I wanted; my two oldest in the dual language program. It is just so hard not to feel like the kids are missing out on some great opportunity. I trust that God knows what He is doing, but sometimes during the day fear grips my heart and I just cry out to God to help me get through the moments of insecurity and fear. The school across the street is a constant reminder of what I could have had. I truly believe, however, that no matter how good something seems to us with little understanding, that what God has for us is so much better. Anyone else relate?