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HI ladies - I am a homeschooling mom of 4 ds ages 12 (7th gr), 10 (4th gr), 7.5 (2nd gr) & almost 6 (k'er/1st).

I have been looking at HOD for a while and love what I see but I have a question about how many guides I can or should do with my boys. My oldest will be doing another program so he is not part of this discussion.

I am looking at 3 options and I would love your feedback:

Option #1 - do LHFHG with my k'er AND do BHFHG for my 2nd gr AND do PHFHG with my 4th gr.

Option #2 - do BLHFHG with the 2 younger kids and do PHFHG with 4th gr

Option #3 - do LHFHG with k'er and combine 2 older ones in BHFHG with the extension pack

I feel like there might be even MORE combinations I could do but I am confused enough already

My 4th grader is a reluctant reader, my 2nd grader is right on track & my youngest is a serious wiggle worm.

Anyone have any insight for me? Thanks soooooo much!!!!

Well, being right to the point....it TOTALLY depends where they place on the placement chart. Why?? Because if they are placed in the wrong guide for their level, you will experience frustration no matter if you combine or not. Does that make sense? So you really need to find out where they fall on the placement chart first. There are a lot of ladies here that can help you figure that out....especially Carrie and Julie. It may very well be that you will be using three guides. That's okay if that is how your children place. There are several moms using three guides, including me!! I'll tell you this about using three guides.....this is the smoothest our homeschooling has ever been!! It was miserable trying to combine my kids with other curriculum. This is the happiest me and dc have been with homeschooling. Saying all of this to tell you.....YES...it can be done, with great success!!

Hope you get the help you need in placing your kids!! I would help, but I am NO GOOD at helping place other's children in guides!

Thats EXACTLY what I needed!! Somehow - i have no idea how - I missed the placement chart on the website - I think I was getting it confused with the program selection chart.

With highlighter in hand it looks like the LHFHG will be perfect for my k'er and the 2 older boys fit right in with BHFHG!! I am so excited! Thanks so much for your super fast and super helpful response!

~Nicole
A military spouse in Texas

Hi Nicole, and welcome to the HOD Board! Striving2Bproverbs31 gave you excellent advice here already, and it looks like it was just what you needed as you have now found the placement chart and been able to see where each of your dc place best. I think you will enjoy doing LHFHG and BHFHG - the are both such neat guides to do.

I have taught both of those guides twice, and I always look at BHFHG as my most important teaching year, as it is the year I am really teaching so many important skills that are teacher-directed in BHFHG, but are more independent in PHFHG on up. I am glad your dc will get in on all that good foundational learning before the greater independence will be expected of them. Doing BHFHG well helped each of my dc take on more independence successfully, and they just blossomed from it. BHFHG also gave my dc many American heroes to look up to - such an inspirational year of learning within a biographical approach.

LHFHG is just a good way to start really delving into history, and it sets the tone for dc to be aware of how God's hand is always in history. The one year sweep helps dc understand the overall flow of history so well, and the short lesson methods incorporated in the guide makes for a good balance of hands-on and seatwork. It also allows there to be enough time to really hit those important early skills of reading, writing, and math. LHFHG was such fun to teach for this age!

We do 3 guides and love it, but like Liz said, my dc are accurately placed. I am so glad you are going to get to do HOD - it is such a blessing to us and now will surely be to you as well! There is a wonderful thread on schedules/routines that may be helpful, since having some sort of a schedule/routine when schooling multiple dc is a homeschool mom's best friend. I posted my schedule on the last page of it for last year, and we did RTR, BHFHG, and LHTH, in case that is helpful, but there are many varied schedules within this thread, and I bet you'll click with some of them...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093

HTH, and I look forward to getting to know you here! This board is so encouraging and helpful - I truly enjoy my time here with these ladies. I think you'll fit right in!

In Christ,
Julie

Hello Nicole,

Welcome to HOD, I am so glad that you got instant help from reading striving2Bprov31 her post. Sounds like you figured out the best placement for your kiddo's. We are 1/3 through LHFHG with my middle ds (will pick up on unit 18 after summer break) and just finished BHFHG with my older ds. If it still makes you a little nervous to do 2 guides, you can always start you older ones in BHFHG a few weeks earlier, than start with the your younger one, once you have your schedule sorted for your older ones. Kind of stagger your start dates.
Since it takes a few units to get into the swing of things with the guides. This will give you and the kids some time to get used to the guides and your schedule.
I pray that you and your children will have a wonderful learning experience with HOD.
Success!

Before I even read what everyone else posted - I had thought: #1 find out where they place. #2 YES you can do 3 guides and survive!!!!

I have not found a way to combine my children. If you can combine them - AWESOME!!! The most important thing you can do is place them exactly where they should be. If they aren't placed well - it will cause you so much work and modification that you lose the open and go factor!

You are going to LOVE HOD. I love it - and my children love it.