? about combining: can I really wait this long to start?

[krismoose]

Hi all,
After reading many Q&As here on the board, I'm wondering if I would be able to combine my dc into one guide eventually. They're 2 yrs 4 mos apart, which doesn't seem to be that big a difference, looking at some of your plans. Ds is 4.5 and could have started LHFHG slowly, but we chose to start him & dd (2) with LHTH, which we've been enjoying. Here's our thoughts:
Wait until dd is 4 to start LHFHG half-speed, ds would be almost 6.5. I know some of the material would be beyond dd at first.
Move into Beyond half-speed when dd is 5.5, ds is 8 (roughly)
Move into Bigger full-speed when dd is 7, ds is 9.5

Ds is currently doing phonics in The Reading Lesson, RightStart Math A and Cursive First (slowly). We've also been doing R&S Finding the Answers, art, and starting a light version of life science (bio for the grammar stage, elementalscience.com) now and then. If we went to half-speed with LHTH, we have plenty of other activities we could do. Here are my questions:
Is it possible for ds to be "too old" for LHFHG at 6.5, given where ds is right now? I don't know what his reading will be like by then, but he's starting well. My dh and I would like to combine them for some subjects, if possible, but we don't want to hinder ds either, if he's ready for more challenges. Is there a different way to combine them someday if we did start LHFHG with ds next year? Thanks for any input

[joyfulness]

My ds is 7 and he is enjoying LHFHG. I'm planning to add the right side of BLHFHG for him in a month or so, but I wanted to start off slower so we get used to the flow of the program first. Also to help his younger brother (age 5.5) get used to joining us for "school" time. Not because he (the 7 yr old) isn't ready to do it now. He's rather a bright young man - I don't feel like I'm holding him back, because he does so much more other learning on his own time, in his own way, after "school" is over.

[krismoose]

Thanks, Joy. You know when you read something you wrote, and it sounds different than you meant it? It sounded like I thought my ds was somehow super-different and that HOD wouldn't apply to him in the same way Rather, it just feels like SO long before I'll get to start LHFHG with him, if I wait... It looks so fun, I want to start now It's more a reflection of MY eagerness...It'll be good for me, if we decide to wait, as my tendency is usually to go too fast. I guess I just want to hear the value of waiting vs. starting sooner with ds alone.

[joyfulness]

I understand about eagerness! I'm having a hard time waiting to start Beyond, now that I'm looking at the manual and seeing how great it looks.

But I didn't use HOD before recently so I don't know what I would of done in your shoes - wait for the younger one to catch up or go ahead with LHFHG... It's a tough choice!

[Carrie]

krismoose,

I wouldn't downshift to doing LHTH at half-speed, since your son is progressing well and is on the upper age range of LHTH already now. When you finish LHTH, I'd re-evaluate to see if your son is ready to start LHFHG. If he is, then I wouldn't hold him back in order to combine with your little one coming up. It's so important to look at kiddos as individuals first and then to figure out the best combining scenario next.

You could begin LHFHG at half-speed with your oldest (since he'd be on the youngest age range of LHFHG) in hopes of your little one catching up and joining you for the second half of LHFHG the next year, however I'd only do that if it was in the best interest of your son as well. Otherwise, you could spend several years filling just to find that your son is too far ahead to combine well with your next kiddo in line anyway.

Once your little one is reading, writing, and has a good foundation overall in the 3R's it may be easier to combine them at some point. Combining when kiddos are learning to read and write can be a tough time to try combining. Another option would be to slow down an upper level more rigorous program, while teaching a younger program at full-speed, to allow your younger one to join in eventually if needed (and keep them separate in the younger years when each is learning to read, write, and do beginning math).

In all honesty, when working to combine it's almost best to take it year by year and see what suits each kiddo best.

Just some food for thought.

Blessings,
Carrie

[krismoose]

Carrie,
Thanks for your input. It does make a lot of sense not to strive to get them to the same level when it may be totally artificial at this point. I'm also excited to go ahead and start in the spring with LHFHG! I really appreciate the time you take, daily, it seems, to share your experience and Godly perspective with us!