What do you think of my plan?

[jenn in nc]

Hi all, I'm new. Hoping you can give me some advice.

By way of introductions, I have 6 kiddo's ranging in age from 12 to 1 yo. In the mix are a 5 yo girl and a 3 yo girl, and I want to start using HOD with them. I have never really done formal preschool before. My three older kids are all boys and at that age they want to climb tall things and jump off -- not do school. My girls are not that way. They want to do school! So. I went in search of light and fun "school" and this is where I landed. I am excited!

After lurking around the site a bit, this is my tentative plan... would all you experienced HOD users give me your thoughts? I am thinking of using LHTH first with both of them (I really really really want to keep them together). Then next year do LHFHG with both of them and spread it out over two years.

I am already using RME with the 5yo. So I would add that and Italic A for her to the LHTH this year.

Right off the bat my concern is that my 3yo will do fine this year but struggle next year. Is it okay for her to tag along and not start RME till the 2nd year of LHFHG?

What do you think?

Thanks,
Jenn

[MamaMary]

Jenn, I think this is a BRILLIANT and WONDERFUL plan! I also like to keep my kids together. LOVE IT!

[icukirt]

I think your plan is great!! I wish mine were closer in age. I have an almost 6 yr old who will be using LHFHG and some Bigger options as well. I also have a 2 yr who is speech delayed so we are really focusing on that for now. We will pull out music from Little and she will watch from the sidelines as big brother does school and she works on her "speech box" activities.

Blessings
Kirstin

[jenn in nc]

Jenn, I think this is a BRILLIANT and WONDERFUL plan! I also like to keep my kids together. LOVE IT!

Wow, I can't tell you how much better this makes me feel! So sweet and positive! Thanks.

Kirsten my 3yo is speech delayed too. We start eval's next week. Maybe later we can compare notes a bit.

You guys are great, thanks so much for your encouragement. I'm going to go place my order! Yay!

Jenn

[spidermansmum]

I think its a great plan.My two and a half year old is a little language delayed- and Im hoping LHTH helps him with this.

[jenn in nc]

I think its a great plan.My two and a half year old is a little language delayed- and Im hoping LHTH helps him with this.

This was my thinking too! In fact it was the deciding factor on why I chose LHTH for this year over LHFHG.

[kayrenee]

My little gal has had a lot of learning delays and speech issues, too, and I wish I'd used Little Hands with her a few years ago. I think it would've benefited her greatly.

[Kathleen]

Jenn,

I think your plan sounds great, too! (And the great thing is, you can always change it when your kids surprise you or God shows you something that would work better. )

My 3 yo is going to be joining in on LHFHG this fall. This was NOT my plan a year ago. But, he joined us for LHTH and learned SOO much this past year. I'm pretty sure that it will work great for our family. Allison, my 5 yo, is going to be doing phonics, math, and the fine motor skills from LHFHG. Garret, my 3 yo, will not do any of those things this year. We're planning to take 2 full years to do LHFHG, so he can try those next year if he's ready. I'm starting to work on our schedule, and here's how we're going to split up LHFHG (which may help you next year ).

Allison is ready to do phonics, math, and handwriting every day - so she will.
Both will do the rhymes in motion and the music every day.
Then we will stagger doing history and it's corresponding box one day and Bible and storytime the other.

You're going to have a great time with LHTH!! Allison and Garret absolutely loved it (and so did I)!
Kathleen

BTW: HOD is great for wiggly boys, too. Your description of yours as "wanting to climb things and jump off of them", is my boys exactly. LHTH and Bigger passed the test last year of being school that they love! Allison loves it, too! But, like your girls, she loves the idea of school and writing. I KNOW you'll have a great year!

[jenn in nc]

Hi Kathleen,

It is so encouraging to know that you are doing exactly what I am hoping to do with mine! Yay! And now that means I get to follow behind you guys and glean from all your wisdom. So share lots and lots!

I am really hoping it will work here just as well as it has for you. But you are right -- there is no need to stress over what if's. I will just give it a go and see how it all works out, tweaking as necessary. So far, God has always been a step ahead of me (well, ok, *several* steps), and all my worrying has been totally unnecessary time after time. You'd think I'd learn or something.

I love this board already. Thanks, ladies.

Jenn

[jenn in nc]

BTW: HOD is great for wiggly boys, too. Your description of yours as "wanting to climb things and jump off of them", is my boys exactly. LHTH and Bigger passed the test last year of being school that they love! Allison loves it, too! But, like your girls, she loves the idea of school and writing. I KNOW you'll have a great year!

This is good to know b/c my 1 year old is a very wiggly boy. He was wiggly before he was ever born and has never taken a break from wiggling since. So in a couple of years it'll be his turn.

Jenn

[icukirt]

Hmmm...after reading the posts about speech delays I may do a little more of LHTH with my DD or look at some of the activities.

[Mom4Him]

I think your plan sounds great also!!
I, too, will be doing something similar with my girls (twins that will be five in October and another daughter that turned 3 in May)! We'll have to compare stories!

Right now my plan is to do LHTH this next year with all of the girls & add in phonics, K handwriting & K fine motor books for my twins. Then I am thinking of taking 3 years to do LHFHG and Beyond...

For the first of those 3 years we will do... left side of LHFHG 3 days a week (with all the girls)... and do the right side 5 days a week (with the twins & starting a little phonics & handwriting for my then 4-year old)
The second year... we will finish the left side of LHFHG at 3 or 4 days a week & then in January begin Beyond's left side 3 days a week (all girls)... and do the right side of LHFHG with my youger daughter & the right side of Beyond with my twins 5 days a week... storytime will be from Beyond for all of them 5 days a week.
The third year... we will finish Beyond's left side 3 or 4 days a week (all girls) and do the right hand side of Beyond with younger daughter and right hand side of Bigger with twins 5 days a week & we will do a different set of Beyond's storytime books 5 days a week.

It sounds really confusing but I am really excited about this plan Although, I know how often God switches our plans once we think we have everything figured out.
It is such a blessing to have found HOD. I am so thankful that your family has been blessed with HOD as well!
Jessica