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Hello! I am new to HOD and I am so excited about using this for my almost 7 year old daughter and my 5 year old daughter. I was thinking about using LHTH for kindergarten and adding in phonics and some math for my 5 year old (turned 5 in June). I am thinking about using BLHFHG for my almost 7 year old who will be in 2nd grade. She is really smart and I know that I could probably put her in Bigger but think that she would "miss out" on all that Beyond has to offer. I just don't want to rush it w/ either one of them. My problem w/ putting my 5 yo in LHFHG is that she would be doing what my 7 yo did in 1st grade & not 2nd grade. I hope I am making sense. So, if anyone has any pointers please let me know...I am ready to order but would like some in-put first. Thanks Natalie

I think your plan sounds great. I haven't started HOD yet, but I plan on doing something very similar to what you just mentioned.

I have a 7 yo dd who will be doing Beyond in the fall. (She was in public school up until now). She is very bright and could do Bigger. But like you, I would hate to have her miss out on such a wonderful program and we are in no rush. After looking at all the resources with BLHFHG it will definitely be "meaty" enough, and we are both so excited to start. She will be doing Singapore Math 1B & 2A. I am also doing DITHOR Level 2 with her. We actually have already started DITHOR because she couldn't wait, and she loves it so far.

My ds, who turned 5 in May, will be doing LHTH with his 3 yo sister. I am adding the Earlybird Math and activities from the Little Hearts guide, phonics, A Reason for Handwriting K, and the Rod and Staff workbooks. (Then the next year, we will add the 1st grade options to Little Hearts for him and go half speed since my youngest will only be 4.)

So anyway, even though I am not an experience HODer yet, I definitely think your plan will work!

Natalie wrote:Hello! I am new to HOD and I am so excited about using this for my almost 7 year old daughter and my 5 year old daughter. I was thinking about using LHTH for kindergarten and adding in phonics and some math for my 5 year old (turned 5 in June). I am thinking about using BLHFHG for my almost 7 year old who will be in 2nd grade. She is really smart and I know that I could probably put her in Bigger but think that she would "miss out" on all that Beyond has to offer. I just don't want to rush it w/ either one of them. My problem w/ putting my 5 yo in LHFHG is that she would be doing what my 7 yo did in 1st grade & not 2nd grade. I hope I am making sense. So, if anyone has any pointers please let me know...I am ready to order but would like some in-put first. Thanks Natalie

Hi Natalie, and welcome to the HOD Board! I'm so excited for you to start homeschooling too, and HOD is such a blessing to us moms. I really like your plan, but if you haven't checked out the placement chart, be sure you do that since it really helps with accurate placement:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
As you look at he chart, you can factor in your goals to ease into homeschooling, and not rush to get to the harder stuff too fast.

I'm guessing that your 7 yo will do great with BLHFHG. For your 5 yo, LHTH will be a lot of fun, and adding in the right side of LHFHG is a good idea (which would be the math, phonics, and fine motor skills). I'd wait on doing the LHFHG Storytime (which is also on the right side) until you do LHFHG though. If you want, you could have your 5 yo listen in on the Beyond Storytime with older sister. Then, down the road, when your 5 yo dd gets to Beyond, you'd just use a different Storytime set (Beyond has 3 different sets to choose from).

You are going to love HOD - it is such a happy, fulfilling way to spend our days homeschooling. It is great for both parents and children alike.

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks Tammy and Julie for your posts. It is so awesome that I can come to you with questions. I really appreciate knowing that you all are here and that you care so much about helping us. I am so excited to start school! I did homeschool my almost 7 yo last year using a very strict curriculum...she learned a lot but it was not a pleasant year. This curriculum is like a breath of fresh air! Thanks again for everything!


Natalie

Natalie - HOD will be such a breath of fresh air! That's exactly how I felt about it after having taught many other kind of "lifeless" curriculums previously. I think having the Living God breathed into every page of plans, having living books be the focus of learning, and having purpose to each and every thing that we do, all work together to make HOD full of life! It is a great way to spend our days together with our children as we homeschool.

In Christ,
Julie