Is it even feasible to do 4 guides at the same time?

[wow8kids]

I have another thread that I started earlier (with lots of views and no responses yet). But, as I've been researching and reading and combing the catalog, my going to be 8th grader said, "I'd really like to do the Resurrection through Reformation" guide, Mom." Yikes! I was already stressing about whether or not I could take on 3 different guides or if I should skip the little ones for next year and just do 2. Now he wants to do one, which could, potentially, be 4 guides at my house and I've never done this before.

SO - possible or simply crazy.

Stacey (yes - I have 8 children)

[4froggies]

Hi and welcome to HOD! Which 4 guides are you considering and what are the ages of your kids?

[inHistiming]

Well, 4 DOES seem like a lot. Are you super-organized? One good thing is that as the guides continue there is more independence....so if you have a student in RTR he would have much more independent work which would mean less demand on you for your attention than say, Beyond, which pretty much requires you do everything with your child. I'm sure someone more experienced will come along with some suggestions but I hope that little bit of info. will help in the meantime.

[Blessedsimplicitymom]

I am very new to HOD, and am only doing 2 guides with 3 children, but if you are familiar with MOTH (managers of their homes), that's what helped me break down our school into more manageable pieces and I am done teaching all 3 in just a couple hours. And we finish school in just 3 hours.

HTH,
sara

[wow8kids]

Here's what my situation will be in the fall:
boy3 (12) 6th grade
boy4 (10) 5th grade
boy5 (8) 3rd grade
girl1 (6) 1st grade
boy6 (5) kindergarten
To add interest to my scheduling dilemma, but are not being included in HOD for the fall:
boy1 (14) 9th grade
boy2 (13) 8th grade
girl2 (3) pre-K by 2 falls (will start 2 years later than 5 boy)

It's my 8th grader who wants to do RTR next year (good grief, why did I leave that catalog out? ) And I don't know which guides I'm going to do yet - that's why I joined this board!
Stacey

[Carrie]

Stacey,

We would likely lean toward doing two main HOD guides with your kiddos to begin with (with possibly adding some of the right sides just for the 3R's of other guides if needed). Then, in the future years, you could branch out if needed into doing more HOD guides (which you may not even have to do, depending on your kiddo's levels). I'm out of time right now, but the ladies will be in and out to help you as you ponder through this. I did want to mention that RTR will be quite independent, so for an older student you could consider adding RTR to the other 2 HOD guides you'd be pondering without it being too much (as your 9th grader will be doing a fairly heavy amount of work for high school no matter whether you use HOD or not).

It would be most helpful if you would tell us where each of your kiddos places on the first page of the placement chart, as placement in the 3R's will drive their ability to do what we're asking within the guides (and will also help show who could best combine in which guides). Link: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Blessings,
Carrie

[wow8kids]

Thanks, Carrie. I'm pretty sure that I won't be comfortable doing just 2 guides, but I think I have figured out how to keep it to 3. My oldest will be in high school next year (Lord, help us both! ) I'll have my 8th grader in RTR (this will, of course, be his first year with this - will he struggle doing the work? Is there some assumptions in the guide that a person has done other guides by then?) I'll have my 5th and 6th grader doing CTC (I could have them doing RTR this year with Brother, but why skip the history in CTC just to make my life easier? I have given them enough opportunity to have gaps in their education thus far!) Then, my 3rd grader (and this is where it gets a little fuzzy) will do the Bigger guide. My 1st and K daughter and son will be tagging along where they can and doing what I've always done for K and 1st grade (minimal and basic). I'm a little on the "get those basic skills really down before taking on other subjects" side of the education spectrum - so we don't do much else in those first 2 years, but by the time the kids are in 2nd grade, they are quite independent. My littlest, 3, will be in the middle of everything - but that will be the case regardless of curriculum choice...it's her favorite place to be.

If you see a glaring hole or red flag in my plan, please tell me all about it. Remember I'm doing this for the first time! Also remember that my life will be crazy no matter what I do, and I'm pretty much okay with that most days. On the days I'm not - I give myself a time out in my room and have some coffee or chocolate.

Stacey

[8arrows]

I have 8 children also. I have done HOD for two years now, but I would not be able to do 4 guides. However, I struggle with having students on different time periods and my children get "lonely" if they are not getting to do the same program.
Not knowing how your children place skill-wise, I would put the K, 1st and 3rd in Beyond, knowing that the next year in Bigger the then 4th grader could use the extensions. I would also keep the 5th, 6th, and 8th grader together in RTR with the 8th grader doing extensions. If this is not a good split skill-wise, the 3rd, 5th, and 6th could do Preparing and the 8th could do RTR. In this case I would just do what you are used to for the K and 1st. If you think you could swing it, you could add LHFHG. Oh, the agony of deciding! I know it well.

[wow8kids]

Thanks, 8arrows! How many guides are you using? Are you actually schooling all 8 of them right now?
Stacey

[8arrows]

Stacey, yes, I school all of them who are old enough. They range from 1 to 16. We are currently using LHTH for the 3 and 5 year old loosely. We are consistently doing Preparing with my middle ones. It has been a hit! We started out with the two boys in Bigger and the older girl in CTC. However, it works better for us to combine. They older girl thought she wanted her own program but became "lonely". (Yes, we are all in the same room a good deal of the time!) I also do better combining as many as I feasibly can. My older two do an electic mix I put together for high school (Yes, I wish HOD had high school programs too.)