What would you do if you were me? 4 programs?

[Rebecca]

Hello HOD,

I have been pondering, praying, purchasing, and discussing with DH about our school for next year...!

I have students who fit perfectly into all four programs from Bigger on down...

I have read threads on keeping children separated- which I can appreciate due to the competive nature of my boys... I have 5 boys and one girl... although the littlest boy is only one month!!!

If I go by the placement chart, then I do need to teach Bigger, Beyond, Little Hearts, and Little Hands...

One dilemna I am struggling with is... I know my sons will want to "listen" in to each other's history and science...

If I do this- then the following year- I am concerned the son who would be ready for Bigger would not be interested in it- but yet still too young for Preparing? This happened to us with grammar as he listened to his older brother and then couldn't stand to use the lessons... even though he had not mastered them... Now that I remember- this also happened with the K program I used with my oldest!

Some ideas would be to teach Little Hands and Little Hearts over two years- in order to lighten the teaching load? Or at least just Little Hands...

Unfortunately- I am really stressed about this... which has been a common sensation for me since I had our fourth child...!

Their ages are:
Son: 8.5 at start of school year (Bigger)
Son 7 at start of school year (Beyond)
Son 5 - (6 in November) at start of school year (Little Hearts)
Daughter 4.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 2.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 3 or 4 months at start of the school year- enjoying babyhood!

What do you recommend?

I also have a couple of other things I wanted to add to our school year that are on my heart...
nursing mommy brain cannot make decisions!!!

Thank you for your help... I know I am unusual with a large family of such close ages... it is what the Lord has blessed us with...

Rebecca

[Melanie]

Well, I had 3 in 15 months but unfortuately have not been blessed with any others. You do have your hands full will all your wonderful blessings!

My first thought is that there has got to be a way to get some of them combined. (We don't want you in a straight jacket!) I don't know what the answer would be, but it is always better to go with the lower program when trying to combine. Here my reasoning behind that, and hopefully some of this will help.

1. Once you get to Beyond, you have 3 reading choices....phonics program, emerging readers or DRAWN....you take your pick.

2. You can use whatever level of Singapore you want, the hands on activities ony go through 2B (or you can use a totally different math program)

3. You also are given several lists for spelling and once you get to Bigger you have spelling lists and dictation to choose from.

The easiest would be to put them all in Beyond (except your crew in Little Hands ). You could add R&S grammar and cursive if he hasn't done that already. I'm not sure of what else he would need.

I'm sure you'll get some other advice. There are many moms on here who combine kids of various ages!

Mel

[Rebecca]

Thank you for replying Mel!
I appreciate it...
I have thought about using Beyond's grammar, math, etc. for my 7 year old and combining him in Bigger for the rest- he narrates well and can listen to long read alouds...

I thought about using Beyond for my oldest two totally as well- but my oldest is really ready for the challenge of Bigger... however- it would probably be an "easier" year for me teaching if I did combine them in Beyond...

I also thought about combining my 5/7 year in Little Hearts...!

I don't think my five year old is reading for Beyond's History or storytime though. ???

Sigh.

I will think on what you wrote...
thanks again,
Rebecca

[hippiechyck]

i'm no expert, but

Their ages are:
Son: 8.5 at start of school year (Bigger)
Son 7 at start of school year (Beyond)
Son 5 - (6 in November) at start of school year (Little Hearts)
Daughter 4.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 2.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 3 or 4 months at start of the school year- enjoying babyhood!

girl, you are BUSY!!!!!!

frankly, i wouldn't worry about the 2.5 yr old at all...buy him some coloring books and let him listen to the readers

the 7,5 and 4 yr old...*I* would combine them all into Little Hearts and let the oldest have Bigger or Beyond

but that's because i want all of them in as little as possible

[Rebecca]

Barbara,
that is a good idea!
My four year old daughter loves the Rod and Staff preschool books although her fine motor skills are still developing...

My heart stirs toward my two year old... this past year I never got to read aloud to him as much as I wanted to...

Anyway,
Thank you for replying.
I will ponder on...
Rebecca

[water2wine]

Hi Rebecca. I have many very close in age as well. So I have the biologically impossible 4, 6, 9, 9.4, 10, 10.4. So my first thought was are you looking at age or capabilities on the chart to determine placement and where is the overlap? And if so is there some overlap where the 7 or the 5 year old would fall? That would be the first place I would look.

But I look at your children just by age and think leave the 2.5 year old unless you are dying to do something now then I would say move slowly through LHTH. And I think combine the others into two programs, LHFHG and BHFHG then I would see if the 7 year old would be best served in Bigger or Little reserving the right to customize either by using the emerging reader program and lower spelling list in Bigger or by adding just the manual of Beyond for Phonics and Math but not doing the actual program of Beyond.

There is honestly so much flex room between the programs that I really think your age range for the four oldest could be handled mostly if not completely in two programs. I think I would wait on the younger one and just do fun stuff but if they are advanced or just have to do something that is theirs then I would work through LHTH at a slower pace.

Sometimes figuring out where to place them seems hard but when you get it figured out it is so worth it.

[Rebecca]

Water2Wine,
You have shed light on the situation!

I was looking at capabilities on the chart... which is why I think my 8 year old should be in Bigger... etc.
They literally do perfectly fall in each of the four categories for skill level!!

That was my original plan... to use the Beyond Guide for grammar/ math and combine the my seven and eight year old in Bigger...
My oldest is ready for cursive, ready for Rod and Staff 3, ready for SM 2A-he is a fluent reader
my seven knows how to form all his letters, is ready for SM 1A, ready for the copywork/spelling in Beyond... etc. He is finishing phonics/emerging reader.

My five year old is ready for phonics, learning to form letters, ready to begin formal math, etc.

I think my four year old would be very happy joining Little Hearts...but I am not sure about her attention span for some of the readings...

My most important goal for this upcoming school year is to nurture their hearts for the Lord... it is so easy in the bustle and busyness of our days for this to be neglected... this is why I was considering Little Hands too- my younger ones need a firmer foundation...

Thank you for your response!
Rebecca

[netpea]

Their ages are:
Son: 8.5 at start of school year (Bigger)
Son 7 at start of school year (Beyond)
Son 5 - (6 in November) at start of school year (Little Hearts)
Daughter 4.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 2.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 3 or 4 months at start of the school year- enjoying babyhood!

As the others have reccomended, I would suggest fewer programs.
I would agree with W2W that you could probably combine the 5 and 7 year olds in Little Hearts and do Bigger with the 8.5yo. Maybe the 4.5yo could sit in on Little Hearts or maybe you could do LHTH with her?

[Kathleen]

Rebecca,

You are certainly blessed ...and busy ! I totally understand your dilema of figuring out where to place your kiddos. I'm thinking this is where I may end up if the Lord blesses us with more, and starting them out with HOD, how many programs will we get into? Someone recently said though that even if they start off separate, you can always slow one down so that the next in line can "catch" them, which I tucked away as something that may be good to remember.

I think if I were in your shoes that I would try Bigger with the oldest 2, using Beyond for LA and math for the 7 yo. Then, I would do LHFHG with the next 2. I'd say to wait with LHTH for the 2.5 yo. I have a little guy who will be 2.5 when this fall, too, and I don't think he'll really be ready for it. In fact, I really slowed it down with my 3 yo this year because I know she will get so much out of it at 4 when we do it this year.

Praying that you'll have wisdom as you decide! And that you can relax about it. You don't even have to get it right the 1st time, you know...you can always make changes as you go when you see how it's working.

Kathleen

[Jen in Va]

Their ages are:
Son: 8.5 at start of school year (Bigger)
Son 7 at start of school year (Beyond)
Son 5 - (6 in November) at start of school year (Little Hearts)
Daughter 4.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 2.5 at start of school year (Little Hands)
Son 3 or 4 months at start of the school year- enjoying babyhood!

First, just whew!

I'd definitely combine the 8.5 and 7 yo in Beyond or Bigger and do Little Hearts with the 6 yo and anyone who wants to join in. The youngers will probably love the rhymes and activities, but may lose interest with the readings. But that's okay. You don't have to do school with a 4.5 yo and certainly not with a 2.5 yo. Yes, there are those who love Little Hands, but you have so much on your plate, that I think you will be doing yourself and your children a favor by cutting out the things you don't need to do. They will get plenty just by being around the other ones while they are doing school. You may find that your dd will pick up quite a bit and might even learn her letters and sounds right along with your 5yo in Little Hearts. That'd be great--then they could go through the HOD progression together. Simplify! The fewer programs you have to do at once, the better, I'd say. Just my opinion though.

[Rebecca]

Thank you Netpea and Kathleen!

I appreciate your good responses...

You are right Kathleen- I can always make changes...!

Dear Jen in VA-
THANK YOU! I think I "saw" that you have older children? I feel you gave me tried and true advice. You are right... who wants a stressed out mommy- and that is what I can easily be!

I am feeling peace about Bigger and Little Hearts...

I just don't want to "neglect" my youngers... and have my second born get "lost" in the middle...

I will keep reading these responses.
Thank you very much!
Rebecca

[mom2boys030507]

Welcome Rebecca,

As I have read through your post and the responses, this is what I was thinking.

I would place your older two in Beyond using Bigger for LA and Math for your older. I think it would be easier to beef up Beyond for your oldest then tone down Bigger for your second. Also next year when you use Bigger for your older two there are extension packs that are scheduled and makes it even easier for you.

I would then do Little Hearts for your 5 and let the others tag along.

If you really feel like you need to do something special with your littles then I would put stickies in one of your manuals for read alouds with them. They will like the activites and the rhymes. My middle loved joining us this for the Rhymes and activities - he even memorized them quicker then my older.

You are one busy mom. I pray that you will find a combination to work for your family so you can enjoy schooling and enjoy all the little things that kids do.

Karen

[Homeschooling6]

Hi Rebecca,

My kiddos are pretty close in age too. 10, 9, 8, 7, 5, & 4yr olds. What I have do is pair them up 9 & 10 yr old together, 8 & 7yr olds and lastly the 4 & 5 yr. olds.

It's still up in the air of what curriculum I'm going to use but if it's HOD I plan on using Preparing with the two oldest, Lilttle Hearts for His Glory with the middle two and LHTH with the youngest. And this way I will only have three programs going at all times (hopefully )

Hope this gives you some ideas.

[Rebecca]

Dear Karen,
Thank you for the thoughtful reply!
I appreciate it...

I am still thinking of using Bigger at this time... but am glad the programs offer so much flexibility for tweaking.

I have been "observing" my daughter over the past week and definitely think she will do fine in Little Hearts... so that eliminates one program- because my two year old can definitely wait until next year for "school" and I will just read aloud to him and play this year.
I am writing this while caring for my family...so I hope it makes sense...

Thanks for your kind words!

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

Dear Homeschooling6,
It can get busy can't it???

Thanks for sharing...

Best wishes with whatever the Lord directs you to!

By the way, Why would you put your middle two in Little Hearts and not Beyond?

Sincerely,
Rebecca