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I am currently using the BLHFHG reading schedule for my 7 yo daughter. We used the full curriculum last year, and are using it to supplement in history this year since we didn't finish that part last year. I also have a 9 yo son and a 4 yo son. I plan to start my 4 yo in K next year. Does anyone have suggestions for schooling all three of them together? I know I can probably use BHFHG with the older two, but how does a second curriculum fit in with that? I would ideally like to use the same curriculum with all of them, but maybe have less or easier activities for the younger two. Any ideas?

I'm using several programs at once right now (LHFHG, BHFHG, and DIHOR). I decided to do just half of the plans each day from LHFHG with my 4 yo son. We do the left side of the plans one day, the right side the next day, etc. It will take me a few years to get through it, but then he can start BLHFHG when he's 6 yo. It's a cinch to do this, and he is able to listen in on many parts of BHFHG (Storytime, Corresponding Music, Poetry, etc.). He also has time for educational time on the computer, an exercise video, playing with his baby brother, etc.

Using BHFHG would probably work well with both of your older 2 children. You could just add the extension pack for the older child, and pick the older levels of math, DIHOR, spelling, dictation, etc. Does your 7 yo daughter write fairly well? There is cursive and notebooking in BHFHG. If she did BLHFHG last year and is finishing the reading schedule for it this year, it sounds like she could hang with BHFHG pretty well. I put a brief summary of our schedule under Bigger Hearts... Schedule on this site too - that may or may not be helpful to you. Hope this helps some... I also already wrote a testimonial for BHFHG under the BHFHG forum. You might find the references to what is "BIGGER" helpful (or maybe not... I was in a rambling somewhat of a frame of mind that day). Check it out if you want! Nice to meet you, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

My3Sons

Similar to my3sons, we are using "Bigger Hearts..." this year with my second son and "Little Hearts..." with my just turned 5 year old. We're stretching "Little Hearts..." out over 2 years, due to having a young 5 year old.

My oldest, who is in 6th grade, after having my attention for many years, has eased into working quite independently. This helps me have time to work with my younger kiddos. I find it is very doable to do 2 Heart of Dakota programs at once.

In the past, we found the age gap at our house between our boys to be too large to combine them well, although we did try. Our boys are 11 (almost 12), 8, 5, and 18 months. It's actually became easier to have our kids each have their own programs and only come together for things that combine easily across a large span of ages, such as poetry, music, art, composer study, general read-alouds, and some Bible study.

After "Bigger Hearts...", our upcoming new program "Preparing Hearts for His Glory", will work to move the kids toward more independence. This will help balance out the teaching time required for our programs for the younger ages. We will essentially be preparing students for more independent work, while still keeping some teaching time for valuable discussions and readings.

Many of us have the "combining" versus "teaching students individually" issue and finding what works is different for each family.

This is a good question and one that gets asked often. I hope you'll get some more responses from the other helpful moms on this board.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks for the helpful comments, ladies. Carrie, will PHFHG be ready for next school year? And for what age group is it for, 9-11?

Yes, "Preparing Hearts for His Glory" will be a 2008 product. We will need to use it next school year with our own 8 turning 9 year old son, so I am very motivated to get it done. It will be primarily for ages 8-10 with extensions for 5th and 6th graders.

I'm in the process of writing it now, and it is exciting to finally find most of the book selections falling into place after reading and screening so many!

We ask that you keep us in your prayers as we write.

Blessings,
Carrie