Is BHFHG a good fit for a Wiggly Willie and a Paula Perfect?

[Leslie]

Hi Everyone,
New to the group and have a couple of questions........According to Cathy Duffy's Top 100 Picks, I have a Wiggly Willie and a Paula Perfect. I too am a Paula Perfect. Can anyone using BHFHG testify that this would be a great choice for both of my kids. My ds is 7 and wants to move constantly and my dd is 9 and wants to know "exactly what to do" but she seems to drift off into dreamland easily. I've spent a lot of money on curriculum that we either hated and were bored with or it just didn't work for us. Needless to say the entire curriculum I purchased for this year is sitting on a shelf. I would really appreciate any input. I've prayed and researched and we seem to be coming back to BHFHG extended. Thanks all and I apologize for such a long post. Leslie

[pollo_la]

Did you check out the placement chart yet? If you haven't, you will definitely want to take a look. Maybe you could share with us where your kids place individually on there... just to make sure you are picking the right guide to start out with for your kiddos. I do know that there are quite a few people here using various guides with wigglers and perfectionists with great success, so I don't see that being too much of an issue. My dd, who is using LHFHG right now, is a bit of a perfectionist, and is doing beautifully with this curriculum.

[Leslie]

Hi Laurie,
Thanks for the reply. I have used the placement tables and my son and daughter overlap in enough areas for BHFHG in the most important categories. I would get the extended package. I'm mainly concerned if there are enough hands-on and other activities to keep my son interested. Thanks.

[Kathleen]

Hi Leslie!

I started out with Bigger last year with my son. We had a fabulous year!!! The hands-on aspect of HOD is what my son loved most. The activities have a point, and really reinforce the learning, and because they're easy for my son to do and actually use things that I have on hand we get them done consistently.

I would guess that for a 7 yo boy, the writing in BHFHG will seem like a step up. I know that it felt that way for my son and he was 8. But, I think it feels that way around 3rd grade for all kids because they're at the point where they need to write more. (I just wanted to throw that in, in case you find that to be true.) We didn't do the poetry copywork as it's optional if you're working on cursive. We added it in about half way through the year. I only had him do the writing of one of the vocabulary words for the week.

So, to answer your question, BHFHG was great for my "Wiggly Willie", and being a former "Paula Perfect" I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed teaching it and would have thrived doing it as a child.

We love HOD! I'm sure it will bless your family, too if you choose to use it. The focus on the Lord each day is what we love the most!
Kathleen

[Leslie]

Thanks Kathleen, that is soooooo what I wanted and needed to hear. Leslie

[my3sons]

We did BHFHG with my Perfect Paula son a few years back. He loved it! We are finishing the last third of Beyond with my Wiggly Willie, and he is loving it too! I think what you will find with HOD is the academic skills are high enough to challenge but open enough to allow some wiggle room in the way they're completed as Kathleen mentioned (i.e. the option of doing 1 to 3 vocabulary cards, the option of doing the copywork or not, etc.) The activities are planned so well. I think all types of dc (and moms ) can enjoy them. Ditto to Kathleen's comments about the activities. I do think it's important to give a month for dc to learn the routine of the guides. This helps make everything go so smoothly, as things rotate and dc learn what is expected from them in each box, and as we moms become familiar with them too. We love HOD and are so happy with our days, but our first days are not usually are very best when looking at the whole year in review. I say this because I have some Perfect Paula tendencies!

In Christ,
Julie