My dd is 9 and almost through Preparing. It has been the perfect fit for her.
My ds is 8 and almost through Beyond. It has been the perfect fit for him.
HOWEVER...my kiddos really miss doing work together. My ds has dyslexia and that holds him back, where as my dd taught herself to read and write in cursive at age 3 and has always excelled. So putting them in their appropriate guides as far as their "placement" was easy, and their work has been great this year.
BUT - and this is a BIG BUT for us - because my kiddos are only a year apart, separating them academically has put a gap between them. My ds understands that he has a harder time with reading, but he is (almost
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
While learning is important to my husband and me, our family is the most important. My ds is a gifted learner, and while we don't want to hold her back, it seems like maybe we should put them together again for the sake of their relationship and my son's confidence.
Would placing them in Bigger with my ds doing the Extension Pkg be a good option? (I personally would like to teach them together b/c I work from home as well AND have a preschooler in the mix.)
If I did place them both in Bigger...then what would be my option for the following year? Would we re-do Preparing with both and then add in the Extension Pkg for my dd? Would I skip Preparing with my ds and place them both in CTC?
It may seem crazy to everyone for this to even be a consideration - but my kiddos are as close as any twins could be. (They won't go outside to play if the other isn't coming. They won't eat if the other isn't eating. They won't be dropped off at a friend's bday party unless they have both been invited!) My dd is a great encourager and she loves to help her brother when he struggles. But lately he sees her help as him being behind. If they were working together, it would just be like they are helping each other because they'd be doing the same work. (My ds has enjoyed listening in to our readings of Grandpa's Box and the story time books - and he can answer just about all the questions as well as my dd and narrate back what we read. His brain is smart enough, it's just that his dyslexia hinders him.)
We are almost done with our guides so I'm struggling with what to do next. Has anyone been in a situation like this or have any insight or advice to share? Am I crazy to think about having my dd go "backward"? I just want what's best for both of them academically and relationally. (But please remember that their relationship is the most important to us!)