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I'm just looking ahead to next year. How much parent time does Preparing take?
Thanks!

I haven't really thought about it... I am only actively homeschooling one. We start at 8 am and finish at 12:30 or 1 pm. Of that time, my daughter needs help with math, so I spend
30 minutes on that, she needs me for grammar since we do some orally, so another 30 minutes, 5 minutes for dictation, maybe 20 minutes for writing or DITHOR, then the history read-alouds and story-time take around 30 minutes together...so for me, I guess my teaching time is about 2 hours. If she gets more independent with her math, it could be less time than that. HTH!

Thank you for sharing, ladies! It's nice to have a little snapshot of what Preparing might look like. My son will be 10 in July. With the new baby coming, I'm not sure if we will be ready to start Preparing in the fall or if we will need to finish up Bigger. My goal is to start Preparing by January 2012. Seems so far away! I am hoping to move him toward independence in some areas toward the end of Bigger. Just today, he read and carried out his science experiment because I could not get to it.

You remind me of me. I get so excited to see what the next guide will be like! I almost bought RTR jsut to have it here to look at (we are only on Unit 6 of CTC!)! LOL Preparing is the only guide I have never owned (other than RTR) and even though I won't have a child using it for another 2 years, I am still wanting to buy it just to enjoy having it on the shelf! Crazy, aren't I?

Rebecca,

Not as crazy as you'd think! We've had many moms tell us they bought the next guide in line a year ahead just to see the progression of skills and to see what's coming the next year. I like to know where I'm headed too!

Blessings,
Carrie

oh yes, I am dying to buy Preparing! I purchased Little Hearts, Beyond, and Bigger all this summer so I must wait for Preparing. (at least until the new year! LOL) I must admit, though, that my original post was just me trying to calm myself about next year with 6 kids!

Bramble,

I think you'll be surprised as to how much training and learning has gone on during your child's year with Bigger Hearts. It will really pay off big dividends as you go into Preparing next year! I'll just encourage you that we are currently doing LHTH, Beyond, RTR, and freshman year of high school (all full-speed) and are getting done by 1:00. My highschooler has two subjects to do after lunch, which he has been getting up early to do instead, so we really are done by 1:00.

I was very concerned coming into this year as well, because I need my afternoons free to be able to write and serve our customers (as well as being momma and wife), but my little distractible, creative, often wandering 6th grader is doing so well in RTR! He is truly coming into his own and able to do what we're asking due to the steady training in each previous guide! So, take heart! You can do this.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you, Carrie! I appreciate the encouragement! I am so excited to see my son grow into Preparing. We are only in week 4 of Bigger and I see already how he is adjusting so easily because he knows what HOD expects. There are no curve balls. The structure and short lessons of HOD help both of us.

I have to say HOD is a great fit for first trimester (of pregnancy) as I can do most of our programs while I am sitting on the couch. It should work equally well when I am nursing a new little one.