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I think I've come to the conclusion that I need to slow down Preparing for dd. She is handling it ok, but getting it all done is pushing it at full-speed. I'm worried that she won't be able to handle CTC next year, and I'd like to get her more in the middle of the age range for the manual. ANYWAY, my plan is to go at half-speed, doing one side per day, but doing math and dictation and cursive every day (we're a little behind in these subjects so I don't want to slow them down).

My biggest worry, though, is that when it's time to ramp back up to "full-speed" that it will be a shock to do double the work each day. How has this worked out for others who have done this? Dd has a tendency to not be very diligent, and I'm afraid slowing down will hurt her in this regard. Should I try to fill in some of the day with other things? We've been thinking of starting piano lessons or maybe a foreign language.

Mariaw,

I have had similar feelings. We are also using Preparing with a 3rd grader and have done half-time since week two. It is very full for this age range even at half pace. We do math daily and have added a Bible study book so we have something for each day for our devotional time. We also use the Bible time each day to review all of our memory verses that we have organized in a recipe box. We have done foreign language work for quite some time so we are faithful to add that each day. I highly recommend adding another language and spending time at the library every month or so to let your kids enjoy picking out their own topics. This will help keep things fun.

Our days are very full but I don't feel overwhelmed (I like to be busy, though). I think the best thing I've learned about half-pace is not to do one side of the page one day and the other side the next but to just shoot for half of the work to be done on day one and to make sure it's completed on day 2. For example, we read one chapter of Tirzah on Monday and another on Tuesday (so I end up checking the box when I've completed everything on day 2). I also might read the science on day one and do the science on day 2. This has really helped to smooth out the days. I have been known to read the grammar on day one and have her do the assignment on day 2. Just give yourself the liberty to do what works.

I think you'll find more time to add in more read alouds if you have a desire to do that as well since you'll have more time to accomplish what is scheduled. We typically have a "fun book" we are reading at the same time as the scheduled one (ie. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle ). This keeps things light.

I plan to stretch Preparing out until next year at this time and start CTC when my dd is 9.5. I like taking month long breaks to study something she's interested in once or twice each year. Right now we are breaking for a study of Anne Frank, Mother Theresa (her choices , Paris, and spending more time reading Christmas books (we continue with Math and English, though). This gives me official time to put the schedule aside and be just a mom for a few weeks and let her follow her interests. I'll probably plan more time like this in over the next 12 months to give her more growing time.

I'd love to hear how you are making this work!

Amy
dd 8 Preparing
dd 5 LHTH

I would add the music and language as well. Maybe a weekly or bi-weekly lap book. Search lap books for homeschoolers. or have her make and find things to add to them herself.

My china DD woooshes though school but I don't want to hurry her though, so we add lap books on topics she likes (helps keep her motivated and busy)

My DD also spends time looking at them long after the interest in the topic is done. Its like self motivated review.

We've done LHTH, LHFHG, and Beyond half-speed with our different dc and have not found going to full-speed after half-speed to be difficult. I know these are younger guides with less time involved, but all I can say is you'll know at what point to go full-speed, and it doesn't have to be an all or nothing decision. You can go half-speed for a few weeks, a few months, half a year, or a full year - you will know at what point to go full speed because your child will be showing he/she is ready for it. I think at the point where you are feeling like you need to add in a bunch, extend this or that more and more, add more and more time to the day somehow, that these are indicators it's time to go full-speed. I would suggest starting the next guide half-speed for a few weeks to a month before doing it full-speed to adjust to the new guide and its rotation of plans and activities. This makes it pretty easy to go full-speed then, from my experience thus far. I too am moving my 6 yo to the middle age range of the guides as we hit BHFHG/PHFHG. It's been pretty effortless thus far with the half-speed option and also with full-speed 4 days a week for 5 day plans as an option for BHFHG and under. I think you have a good plan in place, and you can just have in the back of your mind to be watching for when dd is ready for full-speed.

In Christ,
Julie

I agree that we have found the transition from half speed to full speed to be an easy one. This is due to the fact that usually my kiddos who were doing half speed one year, because they were not quite ready for full speed, were more than ready for full speed the following year. So, after a half speed year, we always end up starting out at full speed 4 or 5 days a week the following year, since the kiddos had matured enough to be ready.

Another thing to be mindful of is whether or not you may end up adding so much to a half speed year to make it feel like it is enough. If you do find the need to continually add multiple things to your day, then it is likely that your kiddo could handle going full speed. So that is something to weigh as you go too. When that does become the case, it is often easier on the parent planning wise to just bump up to full speed.

Blessings,
Carrie