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Just curious...and this may or may not apply to us...if you had to have a child skip one guide (history portion) would you choose Preparing or CtC?
We've been doing some combining, but by the time my oldest is in 6th grade I'd like her to be working out of only one guide. I'm leaning toward having everyone do left side Preparing together next year (oldest would be 5th grade and would do the right side of CtC) and then the following year have oldest do RtR and younger sister do CtC. This would mean that my oldest would skip the history section of CtC, but it looks like Preparing gives a pretty good overview of ancient history with CHOW and Grandpa's box. We could also do a few more CtC things in the summer.
The other option is to have her skip Preparing (left side) and just do CtC next year. She would be just fine in CtC, according to the chart.
I figure that there are now many of you who have completed most of CtC and all of Preparing, so you might be able to help me figure out which one would be better to skip. I know, they're all so great that it's a shame to skip any!!
Thanks,

This year I started my 3 oldest out in Bigger, but as the year wore on it became more and more evident, that although the older two were doing the extensions and enjoying it, the youngest of the 3 was not thriving. He was letting them do all of the participating, etc. After Christmas I split them up. I put the 10 and 11 year olds in CTC and kept the 8 yo in Bigger. It has been great! There is a little learning curve as the older two learn how to be more independent. I wish they could have done Preparing, but they are ready for CTC and I needed to have them doing as much independently as possible.

I would think that skipping CTC would mean jumping into the history cycle without having all the background and foundation that CTC would provide. The history cycle is not everything, of course, but that's just how I look at it.

Hope this helps. Thought you might like to know what someone else did who was forced to skip a guide.

In His love,
RuthAnn

Dear 3greatkids,

This really is going to depend on you and what you think your children need most. More of a overall history through time (Preparing) or in depth Ancient History (CtC). We chose the first route for at least my older 2. This year we are doing Preparing and next year we plan for the them to skip CtC and move on to RtR. My decision was based on the fact that we have in the past covered Ancient History with them, and that they are older and need the challenge of RtR. I am also in the opinion that although it's nice (especially for us organized thinkers) to follow a "history cycle" you are still going to have gaps in their history learning and it's OK! The purpose is having the general knowledge and that they learn how to learn. So, pray hard and have fun making a decision that is just right for your dc!

Ooooh, I don't want anyone to have to skip anything! This is too hard of a decision to make. Both programs are so good. I guess I'd look at the placement chart and place them the best I could according to that because content-wise both programs are excellent. I'd weigh how independent your dc are, how well they write, how well they follow directions, etc. PHFHG is the one year overview of history, and CTC focuses on the ancients time period - so if they place on the fence according to the placement chart between the two, I'd choose based on your preference of doing a 1 year sweep of history or focusing on the ancients. I wish I could help more, but this is a tough one.

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks for your input, Julie, Julie and RuthAnn!

I will continue to pray about it, but I'm leaning toward doing Preparing next year. That will allow the option of either NOT skipping a guide (and continuing with extensions) or skipping CtC. In the case of not skipping a guide oldest would finish Modern Times in 9th grade, but I don't think she'll be alone. It would also mean having her do different right and left sides all the way through, which could work OK.

So pretty much, I'm postponing the decision of whether or not to have oldest skip a guide (really half a guide). It is tough to imagine skipping any of them!!!

threegreatkids wrote: I will continue to pray about it, but I'm leaning toward doing Preparing next year. That will allow the option of either NOT skipping a guide (and continuing with extensions) or skipping CtC...

Excellent idea - all of it! The prayer part especially. I think I'd keep doing this so you don't ever have to skip a guide. I do believe that if you continue to pray about this over time, God will direct your path.

In Christ,
Julie