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I sold my Bigger manual, unused. By the time I shipped it, I only got $17 for it.

I've ordered everything for Preparing, even though Customs is holding it for the last 6 days. I just wanted to do the stuff in Preparing. I wanted to teach biblical history. But maybe I made a mistake. Maybe I should have kept my Bigger and done it anyways. I can't start all over again! I can't buy another $300 worth. What do I do? Why did I sell my Bigger?!?! I'm so discouraged and feeling like this year is going to be overwhelming and flop and we haven't even started!

Mumkins wrote:I sold my Bigger manual, unused. By the time I shipped it, I only got $17 for it.

I've ordered everything for Preparing, even though Customs is holding it for the last 6 days. I just wanted to do the stuff in Preparing. I wanted to teach biblical history. But maybe I made a mistake. Maybe I should have kept my Bigger and done it anyways. I can't start all over again! I can't buy another $300 worth. What do I do? Why did I sell my Bigger?!?! I'm so discouraged and feeling like this year is going to be overwhelming and flop and we haven't even started!

Oh dear! Well, here's a hug first. Maybe once you get your PHFHG things you could carefully look through them and see what you think? Looking at the placement chart, when you take out the history consideration, does it seem like Bigger Hearts fits placement-wise the best? I know we chatted placement awhile back but so much can change. If Bigger Hearts is really the best placement overall, I do think I'd return PHFHG and get BHFHG instead. You will take a bit of a hit on shipping, but it would be worth it for a year of happy learning due to proper placement. I found HOD's return policy, and here is a copy of it, in case that is helpful:

You may return any item within 30 days for a full refund (shipping is not refundable) if we receive the items back in new condition. Please pack the box securely to avoid damage in shipping. After 30 days there is a 15% restocking fee for returns. After 60 days, there are no returns.

You will know best what you want to do here, and maybe getting PHFHG will really help you know one way or the other. If it ends up Bigger Hearts truly is the better fit, I would not beat yourself up about it. We have so many decisions to make as parents - it can truly be overwhelming. As homeschooling moms, we have even more decisions to make. It is the reason I want to homeschool in the first place, as I am in the driver's seat, but it does take much thought and consideration, and none of us have it down pat. I have prayed for you as you ponder what is best to do, Mumkins! I hope something here can help as you think this through.

In Christ,
Julie

My oldest two both fit very well into Bigger. The only one slightly off is my will be 7yo has had only very little intro grammar. As in, he knows what a noun is. Oh, and they can both print every letter, but need to improve in neatness.

Will I need seperate R&S 2 books for them if we went with Bigger?

Also, I think it's cause I'm in Canada or something that the ages don't line up. My 4th grader will be 9, but it says 4th graders need extensions. Will she still need them? Is there activities based on those books or is it just to increase knowledge in those areas?

Mumkins wrote:My oldest two both fit very well into Bigger. The only one slightly off is my will be 7yo has had only very little intro grammar. As in, he knows what a noun is. Oh, and they can both print every letter, but need to improve in neatness.

Will I need seperate R&S 2 books for them if we went with Bigger?

Also, I think it's cause I'm in Canada or something that the ages don't line up. My 4th grader will be 9, but it says 4th graders need extensions. Will she still need them? Is there activities based on those books or is it just to increase knowledge in those areas?

Oh, well thanks for sharing that, and I guess Bigger is sounding like a good fit then! If you wanted you could wait to do R & S English 2 with your 7 yo until next year, but maybe you'd like the 2 of them to do that together? If so, you wouldn't need separate R & S 2 books for them, as they just could share since the books are not consumable. We do a lot of R & S English orally, which keeps the time shorter and the writing less. We do just about 1/3 of it or so in writing, and that we do in composition books. So, if you do it together, they'd just each need their own notebooks. Maybe you could take a look at R & S English 2 if you end up getting it, and then you could see how your 7 yo would do with it? That may help you decide what to do for English. The extensions extend the areas of science and history. They are meant to be read independently by the student, and there are follow up activities suggested at the beginning of the Appendix. The activities are meant open-ended and meant to be rotated from day to day. They are typically suggested for 10 and 11 yo's, so I guess I'd be inclined not to use them since you have a 9 yo and I'd guess what's already planned in BHFHG will be aplenty. I hope something here helps as you consider what is best for each of your dc.

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks Julie. I'll keep you updated.

I don't have any advice for you, but I wanted to let you know you are not alone! I did the exact same thing this year with my LHFHG stuff. I got tempted by all the catalogs coming in and felt like we weren't getting enough with HOD and needed to switch curriculums. I sold all my LHFHG stuff. The week after I had shipped it, my husband and I took our youth to a conference and the speaker was amazing! I very clearly heard God tell me that I had made a mistake and needed to stay with HOD. When I told my husband I thought he would be made at me, but he just looked at me and said, "So when are you going to reorder." I just got my box yesterday and I was so excited. It was like having an old friend back again. Anyway, I don't know what will work for you and your family but just wanted to let you know that you are not the only one to have done something like this!

I've spent some time searching tonight and I think we're going to just do Bigger. I really need to do some Canadian history and stuff anyway, so I found some good complementry books, even a Canadian version of the Pioneer Sampler. I'm actually pretty excited about doing Bigger now.

Hi Mumkins,

This is a little off topic but I'd love to hear what books your using and how you plan to adapt Bigger with some Canadian content. We're in Canada too, and even though we're only using LHTH and LHFHG I have been thinks quite a bit about what I will do when we get to the two years on American history. I don't think that we need to have two years, I thought that perhaps one would work well but then I am at a loss for what I'd do the second year...

If you have time and don't mind sharing I'd love to hear all about your plans.

Thanks!
Nancy

I'll PM you.