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Hi ladies! I've received some great advice on here before, so thank you in advance for any input! I'll try to keep this brief, but we have a 7 year old that's finishing (this week) LHFHG and a 5 year old that's just started it (about 2 months ago). We need to order BLHFHG for my 7 year old but unfortunately, our financial situation is tight right now. We had money set aside for it, but we had $600 in unexpected expenses this month and on top of that, my husband was sick with a stomach bug that kept him home for work two days and he has no sick time...so we're out that money as well. It's not been a fun month financially around here! Anyway, I share that not for a pity party, but to say that as a family of 6 on 1 income, our emergency fund's been nearly depleted this month and so we have no money to buy BLHFHG like we'd planned to! It's been a big "why God?" kind of month, but we trust that He has a plan in it. I would like some advice though on what I can do with my 7 year old to keep him learning and growing during this time until we can afford to order. I don't want it to be a month or two "off of school" but my time with a 7, 5, 3, and 1 year old leaves very little time for planning school (that's part of why I LOVE HOD)! I know we can read, read, read...he just finished The Reading Lesson (yeah!!!). I've also thought about picking a topic (volcanoes, dinosaurs, etc.) and doing research and studying that out...although I question how much we'll actually do/get done because of the planning that might involve. Can any of you offer any suggestions for me? I really appreciate your input! Thank you.

We have had those months too! Love the beans and cornbread months!!

I would do a Bible Study with him, you can get spelling words, memory verse, etc from your selections and if you have a child's Bible he can practice his reading. I would utilize the library as well. Also, there are some great free websites that can give you worksheets and math lessons to keep up with that...another idea is to do a unit study - for science, study the season - fall/ harvest, history - Squanto, pilgrims, thanksgiving, etc. I think it can easily be done and be fun too! What a great opportunity the Lord has given your child to do some delight directed learning!

Hope this helps some!

We are waiting until January to order our next guide, and I've been piecing together different things. We did an autumn study, and I found printables for leaves and how/why they change color, different poems about autumn for her to copy, fun worksheets, etc. We also did one on halloween, with bats and pumpkins, and have recently started one on Thanksgiving with pilgrims, corn, indians, etc. Here are a bunch of websites for free printables.... http://www.homeschoolforfree.net/2007/1 ... ables.html

May I make a suggestion Just buy the guide to start. Here are links to 2 of the history books.. free to read online

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?a ... =_contents

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?a ... =_contents

I'm sure if you digg around on the baldwin project you can find story time books.

that way you can keep up with "most" of the history" (starts off with Spanish exploration but you could "skip it" wahaa... or do library substitutions)

You can do the hands on activities for Math and start them where your at in the books when you can afford them. Then you would have the poetry, copy work, bible, history, math (you would just have to make the kids do some extra problems on the board). I can guarantee the emerging readers will be in the local library. Then you don't have to think about it. and you can do old fashioned handwriting practice till you can afford the manuscript books. Science the meat of the science IMHO is in the guide. You get that as well.

So for 50.00 + shipping you won't have to think "to much" just a library run every week or so. And when you can afford it buy the books as you can.

My testimony is: after years of struggling with money I listened to Dave Ramseys book total money makeover (with my dh in the car last November, can we say captive audience!), we did baby step 1 (baby emergency fund) and it has changed our life! As missionaries that lives on money donated to us. 2 years ago we were living paycheck to paycheck, hand and mouth existence. So I know where you are at. God used Daves book to show me I can live by faith but also I need to disciplined and be a good steward. Were working on baby step 2 (get rid of all debt but house) atm. But never before have I had such peace! I'm actually looking forward to Christmas cause I have the Cash set aside already. Its So weird but its working so I'm really happy!
when the car broke down we could pay for it, when the house needed repair we had the money, when Kid needed a filling we had the money. So weird.. Money actually has never been tighter but never before have I had so much money in my pocket... its weird!! but it works

I think a fun autumn study sounds good. I wish i could fit it all in now. we did a turkey art project on our own today.
Books from the library, copywork from online resources about Thanksgiving and autumn or books from library. Really so much out there.
We took off all of December last year. You could do that as well. it worked great for us.
i know what you mean about planning. i have kids around the same age - just turned 7yr old, 5.5yr, 2yr 9mo old, and baby due March 28th. We are are estactic if we get at 3 days done right now. 4 days if we are really lucky. Being preggo seems to slow me down.

It will work out. If you can get at least buy the guide, i think that would also be a good route to take.

Blessings
Jenn D.

jenntracy wrote: i have kids around the same age - just turned 7yr old, 5.5yr, 2yr 9mo old, and baby due March 28th. We are are estactic if we get at 3 days done right now. 4 days if we are really lucky. Being preggo seems to slow me down.

It will work out. If you can get at least buy the guide, i think that would also be a good route to take.

Blessings
Jenn D.

My kiddos are almost the same ages too! And our baby is due mid-April. How funny!

I also completely understand about tight money. Luckily we had just bought the next guide before some situations kicked in for us. But I think the suggestion for just buying the guide and the math is a wonderful idea. That would get you by, at least, and you could utilize the library for what you're missing. It's not ideal, sure, but it would at least get you started. Good luck as you decide what to do.

Can you just buy the guide or just buy the math and get some of the books from the library to read?

When we are tight on funds, it has worked for us to give up something, sell something, or work at something. Is there anything you can take to Once Upon a Child, or a piece of furniture you are done with a secondhand store would buy? Or, could you give up cable for a month, or watch someone else's dc for a day? The Beyond guide is about $50, so if you could babysit one other family's dc for one day, you'd probably have enough to cover that. We have had to get creative with funds here too, so I completely understand what you are saying. One family I know put their homeschooling books/materials on their Christmas lists - they said it was the best gift ever to be able to have what was needed to homeschool for the whole year. I do think it's a good idea to just get the Beyond guide and use all of the pp's ideas to start with. Or, you could utilize your library for the supplemental titles listed in the Appendix of LHFHG to extend that for a bit. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie