How does HOD work for you when life gets crazy?

[4froggies]

I am so close to placing my order and am just wondering, for those of you using HOD, particularly with older kids, how does it work when life gets crazy busy? Like around Christmas or during times that you just have alot going on? Those are usually the times I just get the basics done. But, with HOD, I'll get behind if I just do the basics, right? (I'll be ahead on the right side of the manual and behind on the left side, right?) So how does it work for you? Thanks!

[icukirt]

Life will always get busy. That's the nice thing about HS'ing. Start a little earlier in the yr or go a little longer...or HS 6 wks and take a week off here and there and HS the year round. It's so flexible as is HOD. I've thought about a 4 day week and going yr round instead of 5 days a week...still looking at the calendar to decide. You'll be able to figure out what works for your family.

[LeAnna]

HOD is so easy to use when life gets crazy! We normally start a little earlier in the year, around July and go until April or May. But, this year, I haven't gotten all my supplies, so we will be starting in either the end of Aug. or first of Sept.

Life was super crazy for us last year, our first year of homeschooling... we moved, holidays, illnesses, etc. But, we still managed to move through HOD very easily. I love that there is no planning. We just open the book and go!! We will be doing a 4 day a week schedule with Beyond, but everyday with our LA/Reading/Math. I imagine we will have another crazy year... maybe moving again. Yuck! But, we will just pack it up and do what we can, when we can. That's the beauty of HOD!! I tend to be a pretty organized person, but get overwhelmed when I have too much on my plate. Alot of curriculums out there tend to require a lot of planning, and I love that HOD doesn't! And, Carrie has made it perfectly so, that I don't have to worry about buying a lot of fancy equipment... just items around the house that I would normally have! It's great!!
I know you will love HOD!!!

LeAnna

[juliekay]

Just remember that a curriculum is just a guide. You don't need to do everything. The way that HOD is laid out makes it easy to just eliminate a box or book WHEN crazy takes over. I have liked the looks and books of so many curriculums, but after 3 months I ALWAYS found myself bogged down with the fact that I just couldn't get it all done! HOD is the first full curriculum that I have stuck to and enjoyed because it easily allows me to do every box when I can and when I can't I don't feel like I messed up the whole schedule. I just pick up where I want to & go again! If you find yourself behind, but you don't wish to skip the entire "period in history", person or event than go to your library and pick out a picture book as a substitute that covers the concept and know that at least your child has an idea of it! Really when it comes to science and history for children under the age of 10 the idea is to create a love for these things so they will be motivated to continue learning in the future.

[water2wine]

We had probably the worst year ever last year and if I had not had HOD I don't know how I would have done it. It has been a total life saver. In a year when I know I would be feeling like we missed and got nothing done I actually at the end of it feel like we had a very good year. Remember also that it is a guide. It flows well as written but that does not mean that in a pinch you can't run it however best fits your family. We did practically everything you could imagine to our schedule and it still works great. HOD is life proof. You'll do great.

[my3sons]

We've had crazy times throughout the past years off and on, and HOD has always worked well for us. It travels well, it works in therapy waiting rooms, and dc can learn to be independent with more than intended if necessary. It is on only the extremely rare "had to go to the emergency room" type day that I may not get HOD done, and even then - if I'd taken it with me I probably could have.

In Christ,
Julie

[4froggies]

Thanks everyone! I guess I'm just a little nervous! I placed my order on Friday, though, so I am so looking forward to my box day! I can't wait to get started with LHFHG and CTC!

[funkmomma71]

I just wanted throw this out there because you mentioned what to do at the holidays, you could just take a break or do one side of the plans one day and other side the next. If you do half-days when life gets crazy you can still feel like you got school done and not worry about getting ahead in one area and falling behind in other areas. At the holidays I take and break and pick-up where we left off. Remember you don't have to get through an entire unit in a week, that really helped me last year. Once I broke myself out of the idea that I had to get an entire unit done in a week, school went much more smoothly.

[my3sons]

...Remember you don't have to get through an entire unit in a week, that really helped me last year. Once I broke myself out of the idea that I had to get an entire unit done in a week, school went much more smoothly.

Ditto - this is what I have found as well!
Julie

[4froggies]

I just wanted throw this out there because you mentioned what to do at the holidays, you could just take a break or do one side of the plans one day and other side the next. If you do half-days when life gets crazy you can still feel like you got school done and not worry about getting ahead in one area and falling behind in other areas. At the holidays I take and break and pick-up where we left off. Remember you don't have to get through an entire unit in a week, that really helped me last year. Once I broke myself out of the idea that I had to get an entire unit done in a week, school went much more smoothly.

What a great idea! Why haven't I thought of that before??

[Carrie]

These are such terrific tips, ladies! I agree that we are almost never on Day 1 of the guide on Monday. The HOD guides are so flexible that we've done a 4-day plan in the past for some guides and then went 9 weeks into the next school year to finish (LHFHG, Beyond, and Bigger), spread LHTH and LHFHG out over 2 years for a younger learner, and last year we had to start late due to it being crazy busy at our house, so we did PHFHG 5 days a week (instead of 4) and still finished the whole guide on time.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Benelli]

We've had crazy times throughout the past years off and on, and HOD has always worked well for us. It travels well, it works in therapy waiting rooms, and dc can learn to be independent with more than intended if necessary. It is on only the extremely rare "had to go to the emergency room" type day that I may not get HOD done, and even then - if I'd taken it with me I probably could have.

In Christ,
Julie

It's almost always crazy here at my house for some reason or another! And the above cracks me up, Julie. With 7 kids, we end up at dentists, doctors, orthodontsts, etc. fairly often. And, I pack up my little HOD-in-a-Bag to take right along with me! Our pediatrician witnesses us doing school in the exam room almost every time he sees us. Actually, we have even schooled while getting the oil changed or maintenance done on the car sitting in the waiting room. All to say, HOD works very well for us all the time. And, we too don't start "day 1" on Mondays, unless that's just where it happens to fall. We also do left or right side only days when we need to, and with adding a Math worksheet for drill (or something like that) and phonics and/or reading, it still feels like a very full and productive day!

[Tree House Academy]

HOD is just too easy to get done for us to actually skip something. I can't even imagine.

[Tree House Academy]

These are such terrific tips, ladies! I agree that we are almost never on Day 1 of the guide on Monday. The HOD guides are so flexible that we've done a 4-day plan in the past for some guides and then went 9 weeks into the next school year to finish (LHFHG, Beyond, and Bigger), spread LHTH and LHFHG out over 2 years for a younger learner, and last year we had to start late due to it being crazy busy at our house, so we did PHFHG 5 days a week (instead of 4) and still finished the whole guide on time.

Blessings,
Carrie

This is my pet peeve. We HAVE to be on day 1 on the guide on Monday. LOL. I need to lighten up, huh?

[Carrie]

Rebecca,

I had to smile at your post! I am a box checker and a finisher by nature and have to admit it took me years of teaching to be able to let go of the "Day 1 must be on Monday" scenario in my head! I also had a tough time letting go of the "guide must be completed within a year" scenario too.

I do actually do every single box in every guide that we teach, but I have finally allowed myself to go half-speed if needed or to even do a guide faster (like doing Preparing Hearts 5 days a week last year), even though it was a 4-day plan. I like thinking outside the box, but I am a task completer, so I need a structured daily plan to get it all done!

Blessings,
Carrie