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Okay I used HOD for the first time on Monday and it went great with my son, but my daughter wasn't to into it. I think it was to much for her. Did I mention we all have gotten the flu within the last week My last child finally got it today. I am hopeing to get back to HOD tomorrow if there are no fevers! For my daugther I decided to get LHFHG. So at one point soon I will be doing three HOD at a time. Is this doable in just the morning? I will be using BLHFHG, LHFHG and LHTH. I like to keep school to just the morning and only do it three to four days a week so we don't get to busy and stressed with everything else. How do you who do more than one program do it?

Sheila mom to five great kids

Sheila,
We are doing Beyond and LHFHG here. It is working out really well. I start off doing Beyond with my son and work through until I can tell he needs a break.(we usually do everything except copywork and sometimes math before his break.) Then he is off to play,read, whatever. Then I start with my daughter. We usually do all of her work at one time. It is not a lot. Sometimes I'll save the read aloud for later. My son then finishes up after lunch sometime. He usually only has to spend 30 minutes or less at that point.
We are not doing three programs, but I definately think it would be doable. I think Mary is doing three, maybe someone else as well. I plan on doing LHTH next year with my youngest.

Kelly

It is so hard to do school when you have them all getting sick one after the other. I can really sympathize with that.

There are a lot of us doing more than one program. We are doing BLHFHG and LHFHG now. I may have to move to three in the future but thinking we might be OK. I know there are some doing three. There are a lot doing two with no problem.

Looking at your situation you have now BLHFHG, LHFHG and LHTH. That should be no problem for you. Those programs take 1/2 hour, 1 1/2 hours and then Beyond on the longer range is 2 1/2 hours to complete. But you are not going to do them back to back probably and take the entire 5 hours. You will do reading with one while the other does their math etc so your day will be shorter. Then the next year you will have BLHFHG, LHFHG and BHFHG. Again you will just juggle the instruction time. But now you have one group that is more independent and then the next year it is even easier because now you are getting into more independent work.

So hopefully someone with more experience will chime in here but I think you will be fine. Especially if you are doing the program as written and not trying to add a bunch of extra stuff in there on the side. The year after next I may have to split up my kids on the lower end which would give me BLHFHG, LHFHG and Preparing. I feel like we could do that and I will add that we do have one with special needs so that adds quite a bit to our plate. But here it my thought, BLHFHG, LHFHG are really the easier to do as far as time wise programs and then preparing is leading my other kids to be more independent. Then we just have the factor that I have one that needs a lot of help because of her learning issues. But each year is easier. So none of that has anything to do with you but just trying to share my thought process. I am very confident we can run three programs if that is what is best for my kids. At this point two is best for them so that is where we are. But I want to encourage you that your kids can fit in with HOD, all your kids and you can have a very doable and enjoyable education with them.

I hope that helps. I am a little distracted today so forgive me if that seems a little scattered.

Here's another similar thread that may help! Link:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=844

Also, we are doing "Little Hearts...", "Biggger..", "Drawn..." and have my 6th grader doing his own CM schedule with a 2 year old in the wings ready to begin "Little Hands..." in a year!

So, you can certainly do it! We work hard to do the teaching things in the morning and then the more independent/less mom-intensive things after lunch. I do better knocking out my portions before lunching.

LHTH takes 30 min. or less. LHFHG takes 90 min. or less. "Beyond.." takes 2 and 1/2 hours or less. I would teach "Beyond..." as is and start LHFHG at half-speed, ramping up when you can. I would add "LHTH" as you have time, striving for 3 days a week.

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie wrote: Also, we are doing "Little Hearts...", "Biggger..", "Drawn..." and have my 6th grader doing his own CM schedule with a 2 year old in the wings ready to begin "Little Hands..." in a year!

And can we add writing a curriculum and finishing up a catalog. Hahaha!

You've already gotten lots of wise advice here! It gives me reassurance to think that Carrie herself has 4 very busy boys, at all different levels, so she is planning for that as she writes. I find HOD's curriculums take into account that time must be spent with the young ones if the day is going to function at all. They just beg for attention, and demand it in any way they can! (at least at my house) Each HOD program we do gets more independent. Preparing... is heading that direction as well. I think that it is wise to start with our teaching time being spent with the youngers, and then move them more to being independent each year.

Also, when they are ready for it, if they show a desire (and aptitude) to take more of the lead, a natural reward is to let them try. For example, my ds doing Bigger... is now at the point where he uses the guide, and checks off boxes as they are completed. As I finish doing what needs to be done with our baby, and I finish something teacher directed with my other ds doing LHFHG, I ask oldest ds doing Bigger... what he's ready to do with me or what he needs me for. I go back and forth between dear baby, LHFHG son, and checking in with Bigger... son like this until schoolis done. This has worked out great, and as he's gained confidence and ability in doing this, I have let him choose the order he wishes to do Bigger... in too. He loves this role he's growing into, and I am thankful for it. I think if our dc show they are ready for more responsibility, as long as it doesn't hinder the learning, why not let them try to take that on? I know I'll be thankful when I begin doing 3 programs.

In Christ,
Julie

my3sons make a great point about increasing the level of independence in kiddos as they are ready. I have also moved toward my middle son completing much more of "Bigger..." on his own (as he has shown he was able). He does do as many of the boxes (that don't require me) as possible on his own and check them off each day.

I do check on him often and ask all questions in the guide. But, he is able to do much more than I ever thought he would on his own. He is not an organizer (like my first born), so I do keep close tabs on him!

I think this works especially well if you have been through some of our other programs first, as the kiddos get used to the design of the guides and also have some of the skills down, so the transition to independent work comes more easily then.

Blessings,
Carrie