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I have to say that, working with two children in two manuals has really presented a challenge for me. The biggest challenge has been finding time to work with my oldest and not neglect my youngest and vice versa. Well, I have tweeked the order of the boxes about 4 times now and today, we FINALLY hit our stride! The key for was was to get older ds started independently while I work with younger ds. Let younger ds take a break while I work on History, Science, and Storytime with older. Then older goes back to independent work while I finish school with younger ds. When younger ds is finished with school, I go back to working with older until he finishes. This scheduled is keeping him accountable for getting his work done in a timely manner and it is also allowing both kids to finish school at a decent hour. Praise God! This has really been getting me down the last week or so, so I give Him all the praise and Glory for making today a wonderful day! Just wanted to share my joy with you all.

Would you mind posting your schedule? I am doing two programs too (CTC and LHFHG) and am still tweeking! Just curious to see what has worked for you. Thanks!

Sure. We are using Beyond and Bigger. The times are not set in stone either...I just included them as a reference. We try for those times, but don't sweat it if we run a bit over or finish a bit early.

8:45-9:45 Older Ds CLE Bible workbook, CLE Math
Younger ds CLE Bible workbook, CLE Math, Phonics Pathways OR ETC (depends on the day), and CLE LA.

9:45-10:15 Older ds break
Younger ds Storytime and Poetry

10:15-11:30 Older ds Left side of Plans (history, Bible Verse, Hymns, rotating activities), Science, and Storytime. Sometimes he can do Science on his own. In that case, I just start back up with younger ds earlier.
Younger ds break

11:30-12:30 Older ds works independently on CLE LA, ETC/Igniting your writing I/Typing/Music (those rotate through the week), and Bigger Extensions.
Younger ds finishes his day with me. We work through handwriting, history, Bible, the rotating activities (left side bottom left boxes), spelling, and emerging readers in that hour. Sometimes it takes a bit more time, but usually about an hour.

12:30-1:30 Older ds Works with me to complete poetry/copywork, dictation (if assigned for that day), Spanish, and DITHR.

Yeah! That is wonderful! Glad you found a system that is bringing you peace.

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for this post and your "groove". I have been trying to make a schedule all week and have run into road blocks. We too are going to do Beyond and Bigger and Bigger with Extensions. I'm even trying to fit Little Hands in there but we'll have to see about that. The idea I liked was giving the kids different "break" times. The only one in my family that is really independant is my 10 yr. old. My 8 and 6 yr. old need quite a bit of "mom time" to get anything done. Then I also have a 1yr. old who need a fair bit of supervision as she wanders all over the house at this point and gets into everything. My 8yr. old is not an early bird, she'd very slow at finishing breakfast so she'd going to get her break first while I get my 10yr. old going on independant work, I'll start Beyond with my 6yr. old. I think I'm going to do Beyond at half speed as my daughter is in grade 1 and I don't think Bigger would work for a second grader??

Shannon

My son using Beyond is not even quite 6 yet and doing work about mid-1st grade level. Next year, we do plan to move him on to Bigger - but without extensions, of course. We will do Preparing in 3rd grade and CTC for 4th. That is 2 good years ahead of when my older son will do them, but my older son will use Extensions all the way through and my younger will not.

Rebecca,

I'm praising the Lord with you today, even though I'm a little late with my praise! It can take some time to find your groove when using two or more manuals, but once things fall into place it is a blessed event!

Enjoy your year!

Blessings,
Carrie