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This is my third year using HOD with 3 of my 4 children. My oldest son attended a private school for K-1st, and we brought him home at 2nd grade. His twin sisters were starting K, and this seemed a good time to start our homeschool journey. Our first year with Beyond with my son was quite a difficult one, in that he was adjusting to all the changes of being at home and the CM methods were different for him. Our year with Bigger was still quite challenging. It was a jump for him academically, but he rose to the challenge and did quite well, despite dragging feet. All the while, I was following the guides and the suggetions, and waiting for everything to come together and click with him. I love HOD, have seen tremendous growth in my ds, and appreciate the "gentleness" of the curriculum.

This year we are using Preparing for 4th grade. I wish there was a smilie for "standing ovation"! I am so pleased with the fruit that is so evident in my son this year. What used to be challenge for him, now is a smooth process. Areas that were a struggle, maybe aren't the easiest now, but are a huge improvement from when we started our first year. HOD has drawn my son along slowly and allowed him to mature and blossom at his own speed over the past 2 years. The fruit I'm seeing now brings me to tears. He has come so far and is such a strong, well-balanced, smart kid. School isn't his favorite thing to do, but he is so good at it, especially with a curriculum that sets him up to succeed so famously!

My girls have been doing HOD from LIttle Hearts, and I can see the same growth and maturity in their academics, and I could not be more pleased. HOD is such a blessing to our family, and it works!!! I am starting my youngest ds (almost 4) with Little Hands, and I am so excited to see the path he will be on when he reaches the same ages. Thank you to the Austin family for your obedience and sacrifice. My family could never repay you for what you've given us!

What a blessing to hear how your son has blossomed! We're struggling through some things this year and I'm praying that we'll be where you are sometime soon. Thanks for sharing.

How wonderful! It's so nice to hear your success story. I've got to say that this is our third year too and it going so well. I think maybe the third year is really the charm! The other years have been great as well, but this year things are flowing more smoothly than ever. I'm so thankful for this curriculum too! Where is that standing ovation smilie???

Wonderful!! We are in our 2nd year of HOD. I couldn't sing the praises enough last year! It was a tough year with me working quite a bit and then a move cross-country but HOD made it easy to homeschool and my DDs love it!

my4sugars - This was such an encouraging post to read. So many times it is hard to see the forest for the trees when we are in the middle of a more challenging year with one or many of our dc. I have to agree 100% - all of the steps taken from the start of LHTH through the completion of Bigger Hearts help dc begin to flourish through PHFHG on up! It is difficult to take time to step back and reflect upon how far our dc have really come sometimes. Your doing that really made me remember to do that as well! It's too easy to try to fast forward through some of those necessary teaching moments and rush through some of those foundational skills that aren't always the easiest for dc to learn to get to what we hope will be more independent work - but when we do spend the needed time teaching at the onset, then the harvest truly comes. I'm glad you are seeing the fruit of your work, and may the "harvest" continue to come as your ds strides through guides!

In Christ,
Julie

Kimi,

Isn't the Lord good is giving us the fruit we need to see in His time! I am so humbly blessed and encouraged by your post. It brought tears to my eyes this evening! I am rejoicing with you on the progress that you're seeing. It does take time to reap the rewards of carefully planted seeds, but the Lord is so good in bringing in the harvest!

Blessings,
Carrie

My husband commented last night that things seem smooth and peaceful between the kids and myself. He commented that he has been calling me most days and asking how school was going, and each day it sounds good! I told him that we had switched back to HOD 3 weeks ago. Before that, things were very hectic, stressful, and it felt like running a marathon to get through each day.
I am seeing my son go to God's word at least 4 times every day to answer questions. Not to a textbook, but to the blessed Word. HOD directs him to the Source. When other people say various curricula are as focused on Christ and teach our children to seek answers in God's Word as well as HOD does, I have to bite my tongue. I have used other things that many people compare to HOD. There is a world of difference. Thank you for that, Carrie and Mike. The difference is astounding. I have said before that I wanted my children to learn to seek Him above all. I wanted to use the Bible as our primary text. But never have I been able to pull that off. HOD directs us to do just that.
While other curricula might have you reading verses, or even correlate a study of a time period with a section of the Bible, I know of nothing else that DAILY, consistently, teaches our children to go directly to God's word for the answers across the curriculum- in history, science, art, etc.
And, that alone brings me peace.
I am finding HOD is so well-balanced in incrementally teaching and practicing skills in all areas. Why I ever left, I do not know. Well, I do know actually....it is because I truly struggle with committing to a curriculum. I am very glad to be back, and hopeful I will, with God's strength, be able to overcome my struggle and do what I know to be right for our family: to stick with HOD. The fruit is bountiful.

I am so glad to hear the good reports from everyone! I have been loving HOD with my two this year. It is hard to tell others how wonderful it is. I think that if God is leading a family to HOD, they should listen! HOD has been a wonderful blessing for our family and I know it has been the same for many, countless others.

Thank you Carrie!

lovetobehome wrote:My husband commented last night that things seem smooth and peaceful between the kids and myself. He commented that he has been calling me most days and asking how school was going, and each day it sounds good! I told him that we had switched back to HOD 3 weeks ago. Before that, things were very hectic, stressful, and it felt like running a marathon to get through each day.
I am seeing my son go to God's word at least 4 times every day to answer questions. Not to a textbook, but to the blessed Word. HOD directs him to the Source. When other people say various curricula are as focused on Christ and teach our children to seek answers in God's Word as well as HOD does, I have to bite my tongue. I have used other things that many people compare to HOD. There is a world of difference. Thank you for that, Carrie and Mike. The difference is astounding. I have said before that I wanted my children to learn to seek Him above all. I wanted to use the Bible as our primary text. But never have I been able to pull that off. HOD directs us to do just that.
While other curricula might have you reading verses, or even correlate a study of a time period with a section of the Bible, I know of nothing else that DAILY, consistently, teaches our children to go directly to God's word for the answers across the curriculum- in history, science, art, etc.
And, that alone brings me peace.
I am finding HOD is so well-balanced in incrementally teaching and practicing skills in all areas. Why I ever left, I do not know. Well, I do know actually....it is because I truly struggle with committing to a curriculum. I am very glad to be back, and hopeful I will, with God's strength, be able to overcome my struggle and do what I know to be right for our family: to stick with HOD. The fruit is bountiful.

This post was such a blessing to read. Thank you for your words here! I too want my dc to learn to seek Him above all, and to use the Bible daily in a meaningful way. I too depend on HOD to do that for me, and it does. It is an answer to prayer that your dh commented about things going smoothly and peacefully. That is a big deal on the home front, and the fact that he noticed it and took time to compliment you on it, is really something to celebrate. I'm so happy for you - thank you for sharing and for encouraging others.

In Christ,
Julie

lovetobehome,

I am so encouraged by your post and by the change you're seeing in your school year. The Lord is surely good! We continually pray that the Lord will bring those to HOD who will be blessed by it, as He knows each of our needs. I'm praising Him for bringing you to HOD as He knew your need. We pray it may continue to bless you this year. Thanks so much for sharing. You encouraged me today too.

Blessings,
Carrie

What a wonderful testimony and such an up lifting post. Thanks for posting it!