Hello! I was recently introduced to HOD by a friend, and it's been love at first sight. I am blessed with 3 dc ages 7, 5, and 3, and this is our first year of homeschooling. My oldest two children are finishing up the 1st and K curriculum of My Father's World. Since my dc are close in age, I would like to combine their learning as much as possible (because they want to be a part of what the other one is learning too.) However, I'm not sure how I should go about doing that. My 7 year old would fit perfectly in the BLHfHG, and my plan had been to include my 5 year old in the science/geography/Bible of BLHfHG but with the recommended reading/phonics program and math for her age. Technically, my 5 year old would be starting kindergarten in the fall, but she is already reading and has a good grasp of math. For my 3 year old (who is a very active boy but wants to be in the "mix of things") I think he would do great with Little Hands to Heaven. I love what I've seen of LHfHG, but with My Father's World we did go through the Bible. I guess what I'm wondering is if it's a good idea to combine both the 5 and 7 year old in BLHfHG and would appreciate any suggestions from anyone who has done this.
Also, since my 5 year old is already reading short words and some sight words, which reading/ phonics program would you recommend? She isn't ready yet for the emerging readers.
Thanks!
Sarah
Combining curriculum
Re: Combining curriculum
Welcome to HOD! Our children are the same ages and I've combined the older two this year exactly the way you described. We used the Beyond guide "left side" (which has the Learning through History and Bible and Poetry and such) for everyone and then skill-appropriate levels for LA and math. It has worked beautifully. My ds7 uses the guide as written and my five year old uses the LA from Little Hearts (The Reading Lesson for phonics/reading and the Rod and Staff workbooks and Handwriting book).
About halfway through this year my dd5 finished the Reading Lesson and moved on to the emerging readers. Beyond has been a great fit for the ages and abilities of my dc this year. The only issue I am finding is that if I keep going "full speed" (meaning finishing the guide by June) my ds7 would be ready to move on to BIgger but my dd (who will be 6 in April) will NOT be ready for the jump to Bigger in the fall. She's not that strong of writer yet. What we've decided to do is slow down to using the guide 3x's per week so that we'll finish it around November. This is giving me more time to work on my dc's weak areas and also to do more field trips, projects and such (we live near DC so there is a ton to see and do). I figure that by January of next year my dd would be ready for Bigger.
For my ds (who will be 8 in July) I will keep him challenged by starting him in Drawn Into The Heart of Reading (DITHOR) after our summer break.
If you use Beyond next year when your dc are 8 and 6 they will most likely flourish and be able to progress through the guides together. Little Hands to Heaven (LHTH) sounds like a good fit for your youngest as well. We plan on starting our then 4 year old with LHTH in the fall too.
The other ladies on the board will have great insight too. I've just recently started reading and posting on here and it has been so helpful! This is the third year we've used HOD but I am getting FAR more out of it since reading other people's experiences using HOD.
Blessings to you,
Andrea
About halfway through this year my dd5 finished the Reading Lesson and moved on to the emerging readers. Beyond has been a great fit for the ages and abilities of my dc this year. The only issue I am finding is that if I keep going "full speed" (meaning finishing the guide by June) my ds7 would be ready to move on to BIgger but my dd (who will be 6 in April) will NOT be ready for the jump to Bigger in the fall. She's not that strong of writer yet. What we've decided to do is slow down to using the guide 3x's per week so that we'll finish it around November. This is giving me more time to work on my dc's weak areas and also to do more field trips, projects and such (we live near DC so there is a ton to see and do). I figure that by January of next year my dd would be ready for Bigger.
For my ds (who will be 8 in July) I will keep him challenged by starting him in Drawn Into The Heart of Reading (DITHOR) after our summer break.
If you use Beyond next year when your dc are 8 and 6 they will most likely flourish and be able to progress through the guides together. Little Hands to Heaven (LHTH) sounds like a good fit for your youngest as well. We plan on starting our then 4 year old with LHTH in the fall too.
The other ladies on the board will have great insight too. I've just recently started reading and posting on here and it has been so helpful! This is the third year we've used HOD but I am getting FAR more out of it since reading other people's experiences using HOD.
Blessings to you,
Andrea
Marine Wife for 14 years
Mother to
DS 07/02 Preparing
DD 04/04 Preparing
DD 07/06 LHFHG
DS 09/09 Playing
DD 05/12 Joining the party!
Mother to
DS 07/02 Preparing
DD 04/04 Preparing
DD 07/06 LHFHG
DS 09/09 Playing
DD 05/12 Joining the party!
Re: Combining curriculum
Hi Sarah, and I am another gal in love with HOD!
Welcome to the board, and I'm so glad you've found HOD.
Andrea's post is so helpful, and I agree with what she said. I think you can start Beyond with the 2 of them, but do one of the 2 phonics programs with your younger and the Emerging Reader's Set with your older. I would do Beyond just 4 days a week or so, and enjoy a free day on Friday, or do some field trips if you are so inclined, or whatever you'd enjoy most. That will give you just a little extra time to work on the reading/writing skills with your younger child, and it will give a little more time for those skills to mature. Then, after that, you can always start Bigger Hearts half-speed if need be, to allow your younger child a little more time to grow into it.
We finished Beyond this year and loved it, and we have recently began Bigger Hearts half-speed with our almost 7 yo. He loves it!
Half-speed is perfect for him. He would not be ready for full-speed yet. I am also doing LHTH half-speed with my 3 yo (as well as CTC with my 10 yo). We are loving our year together! I think you'd enjoy Beyond and LHTH so much, and that will set up such a nice rotation for you as the teacher too, since you will have a year between teaching a guide again. We've really enjoyed that at our house!
I look forward to getting to know you here, and keep on asking questions until you get the details of placement worked out! The ladies here are so encouraging and helpful. It's one of my favorite places to visit.
In Christ,
Julie


We finished Beyond this year and loved it, and we have recently began Bigger Hearts half-speed with our almost 7 yo. He loves it!



In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Re: Combining curriculum
Sarah,
I just wanted to welcome you! We're glad you're here.
The ladies have given you some wonderful options to ponder already. I'll just throw out one more option you could consider too. You may wish to combine both in Beyond doing it 4 days a week (and substituting the 3R's from Little Hearts for your younger child). Then, the next year you would take 9 weeks to finish Beyond (still doing it 4 days a week) and move into Bigger Hearts. You could easily begin Bigger Hearts at half-speed at that point to allow your younger child a chance to grow up. Then, you could move up to full-speed 4 days a week when she seems ready.
Feel free to pop back and share your thoughts as time allows.
Blessings,
Carrie
I just wanted to welcome you! We're glad you're here.


Feel free to pop back and share your thoughts as time allows.

Blessings,
Carrie