coordinating 2 1/2 programs + DITHR

[threegreatkids]

We just folded dd9 into our homeschool last week, which is a delight. She is doing left side of Bigger with her sister, and right side of Preparing. All in all, it was a good week, and we continue to adore HOD
I think it will take a couple of weeks to really have our new schedule flow smoothly, and I'm OK with that. I'm still feeling a bit scattered, but that seems to be true anytime we make an adjustment in our homeschool.
The thing that i need to figure out is DITHR and other things that have character traits and story elements. Middle dd was in the middle of the Realistic Fiction genre (perspective/point of view/integrity), so I let oldest pick her genre and she started with Mystery (prediction/inference/loyalty). We started really using the storytime plans for Bigger (faith/setting). Middle dd is studying Proverbs for bible in Bigger...thriftiness this week.
This feels like alot, at least for my brain I suppose it would help to coordinate the DITHR genre for the two that are using it, though it would still be two different levels and different book packs. But...one does DITHR 5 days per unit and the other does it 3 days per unit. Maybe I'll just have middle dd skip a DITHR day every time oldest is on Day 2 of a unit of Preparing. We won't get through all 9 genres, but it might save my sanity .
I'd love any suggestions you all might have!

[Kathleen]

I am not where you are yet...but I'd definitely get them together for DITHOR because there are days where you can do the teaching together and I think that would be a huge help. So, maybe you want to finish out the genres you're on and then "pause" one of them until you're ready for the next genre.

We did Bigger last year, and I actually preferred to be doing a different genre for storytime than DITHOR. They matched up a couple of times, and my son and I felt like it was overload on whatever character quality/story element we were looking for. Especially if we ended up with the actual days matching so that we were doing "day 4" together. I loved that we were searching our books for examples of godly character qualities. The Bible study part of Bigger was a lot more "hands-on". So, you talk about the character quality, study it, and then think of a way to actually DO it.

Do you do school 4 or 5 days a week? I think that I'd have the younger one match when the older does DITHOR. I don't know what your schedule is like, but you could do it the 3 days Preparing says, and also on Friday if your schedule allows that. We do some extras on Friday and are usually still at home so that would work for us, but you'll have to see if that's something you'd want to do.

I don't know if any of that was helpful or not, but I'm sure that when you get into the groove of school with the whole crew you'll really enjoy it! I know we are...and having a stricter schedule this year has really helped us. It's taken away the need for me to be using A LOT of mental energy keeping everyone doing what they need to be doing. The kids KNOW what they're supposed to be doing every day and we happily go about our business. So, I'd give it a little time and then enjoy! We have wonderful memories from Bigger!!!
Kathleen

[threegreatkids]

Thanks so much for your response, Kathleen!
We do school 4 days a week now, and we're on week 9 of Bigger, week 11 of LHFHG, and week 2 of Preparing right side. It's been a wierd start to the year I think you're right about doing DITHR 3 days a week on the days it's scheduled for Preparing. We should be able to coordinate that in about 2 weeks, which will be nice. In the meantime, we're doing "DITHR-lite"...they're reading the chapters and I pick a couple of assignments each week for each dd. Once we can coordinate them, we'll do it wholeheartedly again. I really like DITHR! I've just been feeling overwhelmed, but each day is going a little smoother.
Blessings,

[Carrie]

threegreatkids,

I fully agree with Kathleen that I would move toward coordinating your two kiddos in DITHR and move toward following your older daughter's schedule so that the kiddos stay on the same genre/same day of DITHR doing it 3 days a week. This will make a huge difference in how DITHR works for you, as the DITHR guide will alternate your teaching time by day for you so that you don't have separate DITHR lessons to teach each day. You'll see the beauty of that method once you make the switch.

Also, each level of DITHR can easily be done over two years, so don't feel rushed to get through all 9 genres in a year.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Carrie

[threegreatkids]

Thanks, Carrie! I've seen my 8 y.o. grow in her reading (skill,enjoyment, and discernment) so much already after 2 months of DITHR. I really didn't want to stop using DITHR! Sounds like it will be much easier when we coordinate the genres and use the program according to the Preparing schedule