Now I don't know what to do!

[Mumkins]

I was all set and really excited about HOD! I'm a Sonlight user and still frequent their boards as of now. I found out Sonlight is doing away with thier free shipping to Canada. I need to buy 3 more cores in by March 31st to secure free shipping for life. Most of HOD's books can be bought there anyway. But it's hard to justify spening $900 to save on shipping. Although I did plan to go back to SL for high school as HOD doesn't go up anyway. I really want to try HOD, I think I'll love it! But I thought I'd love SL and Abeka too. So if I try HOD and don't love it, I'd go back to SL, but by then I'd have lost my free shipping for life. By even still, I'm not sure I can get up the $330 I'd need in the next week to put the down payment on SL anyway. And is it even worth it when I may choose to homeschool with HOD now anyway? I especially can't convince DH to buy all this stuff and then HS with HOD in the fall.

I feel so conflicted and pressured. I want HOD but I want to save money, even if it means a little more up front.

Pleas tell me i'll love HOD so much I wont care, lol.

[Mom2Monkeys]

You will LOVE HOD!!!!! I promise!!! I'm a curriculum junkie and this is my favorite of all time!!!! HOD is so much less expensive than Sonlight to begin with, so that should help But, not only that...I personally think HOD is tops all around, much better put together than anything I've seen, more fun, takes only a small portion of my day to teach (so I can add in my own extras without over doing it, including Sonlight books...lol), .....oh, I just know you'll love love love it!

[Mumkins]

I've been breaking it down like this:

Go with HOD and buy the few extra SL books I really like, but have high shipping. But an easier day, more fun stuff, nothing questionable

Or

Go with SL and suplement with HOD the books I don't agree with and have free shipping

I can't stand indecision!

I feel like if I go with SL, I'll lways regret not at least trying HOD. Yet, if I go with HOD and it doesn't work out, I'll always be regretting not buying the cores.

[water2wine]

I feel so conflicted and pressured. I want HOD but I want to save money, even if it means a little more up front.

Pleas tell me i'll love HOD so much I wont care, lol.

Ok I will...YOU WILL LOVE HOD so much you won't care!

I will ask you this is God on the side ala cart with SL (in fairness I have not used SL ) or is He intertwined and are they learning a worldview that shows them that God is in everything and always has been? Do they take the Bible part that SL adds and actually apply it to their life when you use it and do you find them growing in leaps and bounds in their understanding of God as real? Of course the answer to that is very personal and different for everyone. But are you really seeing them grow with SL in the Lord in a way that no amount of money would have you give up. If so then that is it. For me there is no amount of money to be saved in the world short of we are going to have to eat potatoes to survive to keep them from having God in everything and see them applying that to themselves. In the short time I have them to be influenced by what I teach, I want to make sure that I am teaching them a faith they can't turn from no matter how tempting things look in college. We live in a world where 80% of kids who go into college believing in God turn away from their faith in college. I do not like those odds so I think that kind of faith they need to learn comes from having God taught in everything in a way that causes them to apply the Word personally to their own life. That is real faith that will not be lost in false teaching because it knows real teaching and it knows truth. So know that is where I am coming from when I say the money can't possibly matter more than that and yes you will love it! But that is my answer and you have to pray and search your heart for where God is leading you. Praying for peace for you on this.

[Marsha]

You will love HOD.

I have used SL in the past. It was very difficult to use 2 cores and we would have to do 3 or more cores later.
I had planned on coming back to SL for High School, but have changed my mind.
We are managing to do:Little Hands to Heaven-lightly
Preparing Hearts for His Glory and Beyond Hearts For His Glory daily.
My oldest is doing Illuminations put out by Bright Ideas Press, instead of SL.

One thing about SL is you spend so much time on history.

HOD has everything scheduled and it all coordinates so well.
HOD seems so much more complete, while Sonlight does have great books, it seems more jumbled.
Everything is much more organized and you don't have to have a binder for the core, science, LA...
it is all in one book.

[Kathy_in_OH]

Mumkins,
I agree with all these ladies and I haven't even used HOD yet! But, I have been homeschooling for 17 years and I HAVE used Sonlight. I have used 3 different cores and I was thinking of using Core K this fall with my niece when I "accidentally" found HOD. I knew within a few minutes that I would use HOD instead of Sonlight. Why?

#1- Sonlight is a great program but I think the biggest attraction is all the good books they use. In years when I haven't used Sonlight I've used their catalog for a book list. However, because Sonlight's IGs are so jam packed full of stuff, it is near impossible to get everything done on a daily basis (and we are usually pretty disciplined where school is concerned) and everything is so disjointed. (You go from one subject to another to another and the kiddos don't always make any "connections" IF there are any) There is no "savoring" of the books because you are just trying to get everything in for the day.

#2 - I am homeschooling a 6yo and I feel that character training is more important than a "missions" mindset for the early years. I notice your dc are still young. At this age you want them to be permeated with the Word so that is becomes a PART of them - THEN when they get older they will almost naturally develop a heart for "missions" and you can help them along when it's time. HOD is Christ-centered and Bible is not a separate subject totally disconnected from everything else. I know Sonlight ties in some Biblical principles in some of their discussion activities, but to be honest, again, sometimes we tend to cut those things out because they take more time. I like having the natural flow of HOD where some discussion will happen naturally.

#3 - I have put together my own curriculum many times over the years and how Carrie has done HOD is exactly what I used to do. It takes a LOT of work and I am thrilled to have something so wonderful already done for me and so easy to use. I have been homeschool support group leader over the years and one thing I always noticed is that moms get burned out when trying to do "school at home". I tell them homeschooling is a lifestyle of learning and really should not resemble formal "school". I appreciate the fact that HOD is doable in a reasonable time frame but facilitates a "lifestyle of learning" because it flows so naturally. I also would rather have a curriculum that I could add things to if I wanted to instead of one that makes me feel like a constant failure because I can't get it all done. I wanted a curriculum that would leave time for "teachable moments" and child directed learning at times. I think HOD does this wonderfully.

I don't know about shipping to Canada or if you have used book stores but many of the Sonlight books can be found in new or used book stores and at libraries. If you like the way HOD looks online, I think you would be even happier with it once you see it and begin using it. Then you can always add in any "extras" whenever you want. We are big on music and art in our family, and we like to have time for those. We also, will probably read extra books, but everything will be because we want to and not because we "have to get it done"

Again, Sonlight is a great program that works well for many people and we also enjoyed it. I just KNOW that we will LOVE HOD more!!!

Really, just go with what you have peace about doing and don't second guess yourself. Shipping charges change all the time, but we only have a season to impart into our dc. Which program do you think will help you most to impart the principles you want instilled in them and which program do you think will fuel more of a love for learning in your dc??

Hope this helps some. Praying for you in your decision!
Kathy

[Mumkins]

Kathy- When you said Which program do you think will help you most to impart the principles you want instilled in them and which program do you think will fuel more of a love for learning in your dc?? That really hit home with me. That's the #1 reason I started looking away from SL.

I've been going crazy trying to crunch numbers. To say we'd be stretched to get even the 25% down for SL by the 31st would be an understatement. I keep coming back again and again that I want a solid biblical foundation without explaining why we believe different in every book. I want it all to tie together. I've been suggested HOD for years now, but I kept dismissing it because of it's focus on US history. But aside from that, it really does seem like it would be more of a fit for our family. I think when HOD ends, SL may still be a good choice as I want my kids armed with knowing what they believe inthe face of what the world believes. I like that they use Apologia up there. But for now, I think I can go with HOD knowing it teaches close to what I believe. And that the TM's are what I kept wishing SL would do is a bonus! I've also looked at amazon.ca and most of the books I can get with super saver free shipping anyway. So I'd just buy my TM's anyway.

And, as an added bonus, I can buy LHTH now cause it's a lot cheaper than $330

Gotta double check what DH wants to do. Though he usually leaves HSing desicions up to me

[holyhart]

I don't think you'll be dissapointed with HOD in the least little bit! We love love LOVE it! And my dh is beyond thrilled with what he has seen us do and learn and at how much the bible is integrated with life!

[anointedhsmom]

Mumkins,

I know that the end of the month is very close but do remember that HOD's shipping and customer service are top notch so you will get your books very quickly. You would likely have time to look over the manuals and if you had any problems HOD will let you return things. I do not in any way think you will want to return any HOD items though. I have not used SL but I have used several other curriculums in my older son's short life and I can tell you with great confidence that I love HOD more than any other curriculum we have used and will stick with them until we run out of manuals. I know that SL is ending is free shipping to Canada but with your oldest child being just 8 you never know what will happen in the future should you want to go with SL in high school. Anything can happen with God! Remember that!

Hope this helps!

[netpea]

I haven't used SL, although I know many people who do happily.
I have used HOD and MFW and HOD fits us to a tee. I started with LHTH, then did LHFHG, then left for a year cause I thought I should try the other stuff, came back for Beyond, and now Bigger. HOD is wonderful. Carrie and her family are incredible. They are on the boards, they ship quickly, customer service is awesome.

But the final decision is of course between you, your husband and God. I will pray for peace and wisdom for you in your decision making.

[Leslie in TN]

Just another off-the-wall suggestion.. my SIL near Guelph set up a post office box in Port Huron, MI. That way she can get her hs'ing supplies (and anything else) shipped there for free or at a low rate.

[Mumkins]

Leslie- I thought of shipping to a close friend of ours. DH made really good friends with him and I can't imagine not seeing him at least once a year.

The more I think of it, the more sure I am of going with HOD. I'm still trying to check with DH, he gets up at 4 and he's so beat, it's hard to engage him. I think I'm just going to cut and paste him a couple pages from each site so he can read each philosophy. I do know he probably leans closer to Sonlight. He really wants the kids to be prepared to counter anything they'll meet and he hates that I try to 'shelter' the kids. However I did tell him that HOD focuses on God and we can fill them with the knowledge God and then when they are older and more likely to have to defend their beliefs, we can arm them with the knowledge on how to defend their beliefs.

[water2wine]

Mumkins I think you are going to find that HOD teaches about God in a way that will help them stand on firm ground and defend their beliefs. It is not all one sided and sugar coated. I think it gives a real picture of the world. It just gets them to see the truth of God in everything along side sometimes the unfortunate truth of sin. But it is not like it shelters them form the truth it just really honors Him in how it is taught. Just want to assure you on that. But I do agree in the younger years better to fill them up with a good dose of Him rather than a good dose of the world. And I am one that agrees in a way with the classical model that says they are not really capable of rhetoric until the later years. That is when I think more of the debate of concepts and debate of world views can be better understood. Although my kids do know about how other people believe and we do talk about the basis of their beliefs as well in light of the truth of His Word. I find HOD is a great springboard there. HOD has a lot of character that is taught and it points out when in History God was not followed. That makes for a great time to compare other things we see in the world as well. I think you might find that as well. HTH

[Mumkins]

The verdict is in! We're going with HOD!! Can't wait to buy LHTH on Friday!

[holyhart]

YAY!!!!!! You'll love it!