Advice for running 3 guides...

[shaffer96]

Does anyone have any advice for running 3 guides? I feel like I am drowning here. None of my kids are very independent, so I feel like they are just waiting around for me much of the day! I have one in Preparing (10)one in Beyond (7)and one in Little Hearts (6) My older two are really enjoying their curriculum, even though it takes a long time since they have to wait for me. My youngest is not enjoying Little Hearts simply because by the time we get done with Math, Phonics and Writing, he is ready to go play! We have only been doing school for a week but I am beginning to wonder if I should just drop it with him and focus on the 3Rs. Anyways, does anyone have any advice on how to juggle all this? I have my oldest two doing independent work while I work with my youngest, but still they need help a lot too! My oldest needs lots of help with math and English, so neither of those subjects are independent either.

[Nealewill]

I have an old thread link below. At this time, my oldest was really struggling with focusing and getting the reading done. Julie really helped me out with a schedule that significantly improved my day. I was running Preparing and Beyond this year. So I thought maybe this thread might help you out as well while you consider your day and the flow of it.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14710

In addition, with only having completed the first week, I would remember that all of this is just as new to you as it is to them. It takes time. When I first started HOD, we went half speed for a couple of month. Now, we don't need to start out quite the slowly but this is also our 3 year using the program. I also have found that my oldest didn't quite finish her guide last year. And she participated in a bunch of stuff at the end of the year that put a stress on the schedule. I let her go 1/2 speed for eight weeks at the end of the year. It was great because now I only have 2 kids starting a new guide this year. This gives me a lot of time to prep them and get them comfortable in their new guide before my oldest starts her new guide. I find that I go slowly now for the first 2-4 weeks of any new guide. It helps me also break in a working schedule. And you won't always go slowly, just for right now.

As for your youngest, I might focus on getting the older two acclimated first. I would then add in LHFHG for the youngest.

[Gwenny]

Assuming that they are placed in the guides according to the placement chart and not just age/grade, and assuming that you tried to begin them all at once...I would slow Preparing and Beyond to half speed for a couple of weeks and either just put everything aside for the 6yo or just do the 3 Rs for this couple of weeks. Then add the Little Hearts in when things are going more smoothly, half speed. Have the older ones goes full speed when they/you are ready--even if that is a few months, and it doesn't have to be at the same time. Slow and steady wins the race. Something I have learned with HOD is that if I do a little bit well and just keep plugging through I get so much more accomplished than me struggling and trying to get everything in or then nothing happens. (or we are all miserable in the process)

There are some that begin their day working with the oldest and some with the youngest--I think it really depends on the different family dynamics as to which one would work best. I like to work with the oldest first, get the things done with her that I need to do and give her things to get going on with her day. My younger ones wanted to play first thing in the morning.

[rumkimom]

I will be running 3 guides in about 2/3 weeks....for now I am trying to get a routine down for just 2 of them before adding the 3rd. So far it is taking us about 3 hours to get though Beyond & Little Hearts each day (we have had 2 full days so far since switching them to different guides...today will be another partial day due to an 'emergency' orthodontist visit....sigh).

I suggest trying to get 2 of them into a routine and then adding the youngest one in once you have it down.

[MomtoJGJE]

My advice is to stagger start them. Start doing the Preparing child at half speed... honestly, what I do for this couple of weeks is not worry about the math and English. Get them used to the flow of the guide, and used to following the directions in the I boxes. Then after a couple weeks, start the Beyond child. Next start LHFHG.

Once everyone is used to how the guides work here is how I do it.

Preparing child: History box, teach any S boxes, send them off to do S and I boxes.

Beyond child (during Preparing's S&I work): Left side, story time, teach anything they can finish independently (LA box, math, timeline, music, copywork, etc)

LHFHG child (while others are working on Ind work): full guide

I have a list of chores for the day written on our dry erase board that the older ones can do if they finish their work while I'm still working with the youngers. This is also the time they work on their AWANA stuff. I also have them play with the little one and/or the puppy to keep them busy during this time. 95% of the time though they have more than enough work to keep them busy during the entire time I'm working with the others. We keep pretty streamlined and do not go down rabbit trails during school time. They can ask a question or two as long as they are really wanting to know or not understanding, but not just asking questions based off questions if that makes sense. That is saved for after school is done.