Help me place my 4yo and 6yo!

[Sue G in PA]

I haven't posted in a while. My plan for this coming year have changed considerable as my 4 oldest children will all return to ps. I now have only my ds6 and dd4 to teach at home (while running after a toddler). My plan for dd4 is MFW K b/c I have that curriculum already. I can't spend more money than I have to, KWIM? For my ds6...my choices are LHFHG and BLHFHG. He seems to fall right in the middle! He's not quite reading yet, but almost. He does well with CVC words most of the time. He can write his letters, copy sentences and is way beyond K math stuff. I don't want him to be bored, but I don't want him to be too challenged that he gives up (he will do that). What would you do in this situation? I would LOVE to combine my 4yo and my 6yo but my hesitancy is this: My 6yo is quite competitive and b/c dd4 is quite bright (can read as well or better) ds6 gets very frustrated. I feel I need ds6 to have his "own" thing to do. I'd like to make this year easy on myself for a number of reasons so I'm not sure what I should do. Any advice? Should I just go and combine them in LHFHG? Should I have ds6 do Beyond on his own and keep my plan for dd4? Please help me figure this out. Oh, another piece of information. My ds8 will be going to ps 3rd grade if all goes as planned. He's been a difficult child to teach and I'm sending him to ps only b/c I'm at my wits end with him...fighting every day to get him to do his work, yelling, threatening, etc. Nothing worked. This year cannot be a repeat of last. Anyway, he will be tested before starting and my fear is he will test below grade level and the school will want to hold him back (he doesn't test well). If that happens, I will be keeping him home to homeschool him and he would do Beyond. HELP!

[8arrows]

I would use LHFHG for the 6 yr. old. and either combine the 4 year old and use the MFW phonics or just do the MFW with the 4 year old. That way you leave room to combine the 4 and 6 year old down the road. That is one scenerio even if the 3rd grader is at home this year. If the 6 year old does Beyond, you may not then be able to combine the 4 and 6 year old if the 3rd grader goes back to school another year. These are based on the assumption of correct placement according to the website.

[spidermansmum]

Beacuse you said you wanted to make it easier for you and that your 6 yo easily gets discouraged- I would do LHFHG with them both but keep their phonic work seperate so that he doesnt feel discouraged .Last year my Toddler joined in LHFHG in lotd of ways too- so that you could include all three with the more hands on fun activities- like edible playdough and making crowns....

[my3sons]

I think if you feel your day will go significantly better by combining, I'd put them together in LHFHG and up the math for your 6 yo, doing separate phonics for each of them. If there is a strong possibility that the 8 yo will be home and/or you want a more difficult level of work for your 6 yo, then I would do Beyond, and have your 4 yo do what you've already got. LHFHG is not boring - it is wonderful - but if you are concerned about it being a placement below the proper level for your 6 yo, then I'd do Beyond.

In Christ,
Julie