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Okay, I have little problem. My grade 1 daughter is doing Beyond this year and pushing me to do it every day. She's doing very well with it but the problem is I was going to spread it out over 2 years so that when she got to grade 3, she could do Bigger. I'm doing Bigger right now with my two older kids and they will each go on to CTC and Preparing next year so I didn't really want to repeat Bigger next year, but rather spread Beyond out for 2 years. Anyhow, it's not really a problem but I just have to do some re-thinking. Her younger brother is doing Little Hands so likely he'll start LIttle Hearts next year. LA wise, she is doing List 2 in the Bigger already and I'm looking at moving her to dictation soon. I guess she could do Bigger and then do some of dication in Preparing if she got to that level. Maybe I could just supplement her with something that is along the lines of Preparing. I'm sure she'd like to listen in on CHOW so maybe I just do a scaled down version of Preparing for her so that I can group her with her older sister, at least for History and see how that worked. Then she'd do Bigger the following year which would be somewhat strange to backtrack. ?????

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Shannon
10 yr.old Bigger w/extensions
9 yr. old Bigger
6 Yr. old Beyond
4 yr. old Little Hands
1.5 yr. old into everything right now

I would suggest that you take 1 1/2 years for each program, which would take you to the three years you want. As you know, there is quite a jump from Beyond to Bigger, so she may naturally slow down when you hit Bigger. I'm taking 3 years with my dd to go through LHTH and LHFHG. By mid-next year, we'll move from LHTH to LHFHG.
Just a thought,
Laura

I like Laura's idea and think it is a happy medium. You are so good at managing all of this, Shannon, but I don't want you to have to be figuring out modifications on the side too. If going half-speed seems too slow for her right now, and you would find it tough to stretch Beyond to 1 1/2 years, I think I'd add in an "off" day each week for her this year, to stretch it out. Something that YOU don't have to teach though, you've got your plate full already! Maybe you could do it CM style? You could have her read a Nature book and Nature Journal in a sketchbook, do Godly Composers Color the Classics, do handicrafts like simple cross-stitch, audio books, exercise video, art study, etc. Just an idea, but I agree, I wouldn't get her to Bigger too quickly and then feel like you needed to try to modify so much to make her go year along with all of your other dc workable. I know how tough it is not to forge ahead when they are ready, but I think you will be wishing all next year that you could just be doing Beyond with her. When we have more than one child, we do have to weigh what's best for everyone overall, and sometimes that means slowing one down a bit for the good of all. What a good "problem" to have though - I"m so proud of your little honey for doing so well and having such a great attitude about school! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Yes, I think I will try and slow her down with Beyond this year. I don't want to be jumping into three new programs next year. I just have to add a few different things and I agree, I think Bigger would be a bit over her head for next year content-wise and it's early in the year, so you never know how far she will progress by May or June or how she will have perhaps slowed down.

Blessings,
Shannon

I just recently noticed that there is a great list of supplemental literature at the end of the Little hearts guide. When I read your post and saw that you will have one doing LH next year, it made me think of the option of enjoying some of those great books with your Beyond daughter and Little Hearts son if you are trying to stretch Beyond out a bit. Also, it made me wonder if Beyond has a similar list?

Shannon,

The ladies are doing a great job of brainstorming ideas with you! Another possible option would be to just keep going with your daughter at full-speed through Beyond, as long as that pace is working well, and then do Bigger over 2 years instead. This option may be worth pondering, as you may have a bit more time this year (since you're doing Preparing with both older kiddos) than you may have if you split them next year. Also, Bigger Hearts does bump up in many areas, but especially in the writing and science. So, you may be glad for the opportunity to go half-speed in Bigger Hearts next year. This plan would also relieve you of the need to come up with things for your daughter to do, as she'd have enough in Beyond and would have enough in Bigger Hearts (even at half-speed) too!

Just another thought.

Blessings,
Carrie