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Good morning all~

Still new here! I've asked scattered questions, and I think I have a good plan for next year, but wanted thoughts on it: what we've decided (99% sure) is to have our 4th graders do Preparing, and our 2nd grader do Beyond Little Hearts (those would be their grades next year). My question is this: I'm coming from a curriculum that is both time and teacher intensive~and time is what I lack (in addition to those three girls, I also have a 3 year old energy filled gal!). My current curriculum combines all students from 2nd grade up...I'm having a hard time getting out of this mindframe. Would it be better to combine the three older girls in Bigger Hearts with the exentions for the older two? Or is it truly doable to do two guides (as this would be IMPOSSIBLE with my current curriculum and it's hard to envisions this!). As an aside, my older two are wonderful at independent work~there are quite a few subjects that I briefly explain and they take from there, and they are strong and eager readers. Thanks so much for any thoughts! ~Holly

Hi Holly,

I am currently doing Preparing and Beyond with my dd 9 and ds 7. I find it very doable! We start between 8-8:30am in the morning and I finish Beyond within 1.5 hours and we finished Preparing by lunch time. I try and do the required reading with my Preparing dd first so she can then go off and do all her independent work while I do the whole Beyond program. When I am finished with Beyond, I do the other LA components and Maths for Preparing. I am there for my daughter for her questions and I also do some of the semi independent things with my Preparing daughter when my ds is having a snack break. It works well for us. They are great programs and my kids love doing them!

Holly -
Just skimming over your question, but if your children "place" well in those guides according to the placement chart, it will be very doable. Keep in mind that you need to plan for a slow start - perhaps take 2 days to do one day for the first 2 weeks and get your olders going before you begin working with the youngers, but it will work. AND ----you'll be so pleased. We sure are. I came to HOD because I really felt my children needed the "individualized" attention the separate guides offered and it is really reaping great rewards. Sounds like you have a plan!

hobandrolly,

The ladies have already done a great job of advising you. Placement is such a key factor in determining what will work best for your family. When you look at the first page especially of the placement chart, do you find that your 2nd grader fits best in Beyond and your 4th graders fit best in Preparing Hearts? The reason I ask is because if this is where your children place well, then it would be very difficult to raise your 2nd grader into Bigger Hearts as it will be too difficult for her/him. There is a large difference between Beyond and Bigger.

When combining with HOD, we typically recommend that you combine the older children into the younger child's program. So, in this case we wouldn't usually recommend combining unless your 2nd grader fit well within Bigger Hearts,as it would be going back too far to combine your two 4th graders with your second grader in Beyond. If you had one child placed in Bigger Hearts and two placed in Preparing Hearts, then we would recommend looking at combining, as the children would be close enough together skill-wise to combine well then. Clear as mud?

Blessings,
Carrie

I just wanted to encourage you that we did Beyond and PHFHG a few years back and found it very doable! In fact, I had a newborn and a surgery that year and did fine with it. One thing to keep in mind - combining does not always mean your life will be easier. When dc are farther apart in age or in skills, combining seems to be more difficult to do, as someone is generally pushed too far, or someone is not challenged enough. We are doing 3 HOD guides and enjoying our days very much. Is it busy? Yes, but everyone is happily doing school and thriving. We finish school in about 4 hours. We love our life with HOD! I think you'll do just fine. When you get to mapping out your day, there are some great schedule/routine threads on this board. I'm excited for you to begin homeschooling with HOD!

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you to all who responded~oddly enough, the Lord had an interesting way of guiding me here. My 6 year old has been a bit challenging lately and after praying about her and asking the Lord what it was she needed from me that she wasn't getting it was crystal clear. She rarely gets me alone~her older twins are both special needs (Cerebral Palsy~physically challenged only yet requires therapy and home program) and the younger sister (3) receives lots of me just by being so young. My 6 year old gets the leftovers, sadly. I am now looking forward to doing two separate guides so that I have that time each day to cuddle up with her for those great read-alouds, to sit with her and show her that I'm on her team and invested in her learning. Now I can't wait for next year! So I'm taking the Lord's leading and your great advice and choosing Preparing and Beyond~and looking forward to it. Thanks a bunch ladies! ~Holly

Holly.
I'm so glad for you that you have been steered this way, as HOD will surely be a help in accomplishing your heart's desire That special time with your daughter sure means a lot, I see it in my girls. I have 3 daughters, and somehow it is so easy for the middle one to get the "leftovers". I have been made more aware of that now that they are all home again, that my middle girl loves it when I give her some time for just the two of us God bless you on your parentiing journey and give you daily grace!