2 DD's together?

[mansmom]

Ladies who love HOD....

We were finishing up some things from last year and I just ordered Beyond and it should arrive any day!! I really want to do American History with my daughters...age 6 and 8 (newly in August)...but as I look through the placement page....my 6 year old will be perfec tin Beyond I believe....but I'm wondering now with my DD8....am seconds away from ordering Bigger....but can I just do the "Learning the Basics" with her using Bigger and still do Beyond history portion together? or would it be better to put the DD8 in Bigger completely...which puts her in Preparing next year and will have her complete the cycle then by 8th grade...am I jumping the gun and I should wait until my current order arrives?? Although I must say this is the problem I had when I ordered and just decided that I knew I wanted Beyond and I would figure out the rest...but now we are finishing up our other stuff from last year sooner than I thought and I feel I need to figure it out now....my DD8 has already completed cursive...can do short sentences from dictation...she will finish Horizons Math 2 by CHristmas...I don't know if this information helps or not...any ideas suggestions and comments are MUCH appreciated in advance...I'm thinking I won't sleep tonight trying to figure this out!!

Can I add I am doing LHTH with my 3.5 year old and I have 15 month old that is challenging my very being!! LOL So the thought of doing 2 programs scares te pants off me...yet I have always asked the DD6 to just "figure it out" and go along with the DD8...which I am stopping now bc that isn't working for her at all....okay....thanks ladies...I really apprecaite this board and your opinions...I've been "lurking" for a long time....

[Samuel'sMommy]

I don't have any advice for you. I just have one little guy doing Little Hands. But, I will be praying for you as you make your decision!

[water2wine]

I think this would be a good one for Carrie. I am big on combining if it works and usually two years span will work in my head though I can only see it using the Beyond LA and Math with the younger one and doing Beyond together but since we have not used Beyond except for in parts I can't really imagine it the other way and I am not sure how that will work for Bigger later on. But I just wanted to say that I think it is worth pursuing and I am praying for you in your decision. I know somebody with more wisdom on this will answer you soon.

[my3sons]

HI Joy - Welcome to the Board! I am so glad you have come out of lurkdom! I'm excited for you to start HOD, and I know you will love it as much as we do. I think you could combine your 2 little honeys doing Beyond's Learning Through History (left side) plans. Your younger dd could do the Learning the Basics side of Beyond... (right side of plans). I do think it sounds like a good idea to order Bigger... and do the right side Learning the Basics with your older dd. I don't think you'd find this hard to do - many moms are doing this. Trust me, doing multiple HOD programs is not difficult to do - they are just easy to teach from and enjoyable to boot! I think school is much easier to do when LA and Math are on the correct level for each of our dc. It's easier to do 2 different things in LA and Math and have them be a good fit, rather than to do 1 thing and either be stretching someone too far or holding 1 back. The history in Beyond... and the entire left side of the plans would be a lovely match for both your dd's - and then the right side can be separate and a special time for you to be with just 1 gal at a time for a bit! But that's just my thoughts - you know your family best and will choose best! BTW - I also have a little one destroying everything in his path - Look out world, here comes Emmett (my 18 mo) and Samuel - the world may not be ready for the pair of them!

In Christ,
Julie

[jsusgrl]

Dear Joy,
I agonized over the same thing before we began using HOD this Sept. We are currently using Beyond with my 8 and 6 yr. old. We love it!!!! What I did though, was purchase the Bigger guide too, since i knew we would be using it next year, and we use Beyond for Bible, History, copywork, Art, science, etc. for both together. Then i use Beyond for math for my 6 yr old and Bigger guide for my 8r yr old's math. I also use the Bigger guide for English and cheerful cursive for both. It may seem confusing but it is so easy! We are using DITHOR for my 8 yr old. and emerging readers for my 6 yr old. i keep them in the same genre of book in their reading time so right now they are both reading fantasy books. It is working wonderful ! I'm not implementing all of DITHOR yet, but we are doing the reading portion. In using Beyond ,I feel my kids are getting everything they need..... and Beyond! (pun intended!)
I am loving HOD and told my dh yesterday that is so easy that it makes me feel like i'm not doing enough, yet they are getting all of their subjects in and learning so much along the way! I think BIGGER advances quite a bit and I knew my kids were not ready for all of that rich material just yet:-) Next year they will be!! And if need be, we can always add the extension pack of books for more challenge. I love how the curriculum allows you the freedom to bump up a level or down a level easily in subjects like Math AND English. Next year when we use Bigger, we will use English 3 and Primary math 2A and B along with Primary Math 3 A and B. Hod has truly been a blessing for us. This is our best year yet with my 2 youngest children.
God bless you as you make your desicion!
In Christ,
Angie

[Carrie]

mansmom,

I'm coming in late to the discussion here, as we're gone on family vacation right now, but I would wholeheartedly agree with the wonderful advice that the ladies have given you in this thread. I think you will find combining your kiddos for Beyond's left side of the plans and the storytime box will work welll. Then, do the right side of Bigger with your 8 year old as you mentioned.

Make sure to take a look at the reading placement too to get the correct placement for each of your kiddos (i.e. phonics, emerging reader, or Drawn into the Heart). If you have more questions just ask away.

The moms on this board are so giving of their time and very good at encourging one another!

Blessings,
Carrie

[mansmom]

Thanks for all the great advice ladies! I ordered Bigger yesterday for my older daughter to use for language, etc...and then we will do the history part of Beyond together....two box days in a week....YIPPPEEEE!!!

[my3sons]

Thanks for all the great advice ladies! I ordered Bigger yesterday for my older daughter to use for language, etc...and then we will do the history part of Beyond together....two box days in a week....YIPPPEEEE!!!

That's awesome, Joy! It is such a blessing to share in your excitement - you know, 2 box days in a week should almost be outlawed - that's just too much fun for 1 week!!!
In Christ,
Julie