History Projects question

[smithdonnajo]

I recently received my Teacher guides in the mail. I'll be doing Bigger with my 9yo dd and Preparing with my 11 yo ds. In looking at the history projects, I can see that each child is going to want to want to do all the projects from their guide and from the other child's guide. I'll bet even my 3 1/2 yo dd is going to want to try some of them. Do any of you have this "problem"? I don't mind, but it seems if we do that, it will take up more time, and put us off schedule?? How have some of you been able to let multiple children do all the projects, and still stay on schedule? Is there a way??

Thanks!
Donna Jo

[moedertje]

I am doing Bigger at half pace (2 weeks for 1 unit) with my 7 year old and my 4 year old and 2 year old sometimes join in mostly for the science experiments. The vocabulary in history is a bit difficult for the little ones to understand so they loose interest after a while. I just tell the younger ones that they can stay and listen, but that they can not interrupt or talk. This way they will sit quietly or leave the room and go play in their own room.
They have their own activities in LHTH and it keeps them pretty busy as they sometimes go off and continue the activities on their own. Or I give them special activities to do in their own rooms, when I do that I put the timer on and they know to clean up (my 4 year old) and come out when it goes off.

[mariaw]

I am doing LHFHG and Preparing. My boys in LHFHG always want to do the Preparing projects. I just let them. I mean, if I've got the paint out for one, I might as well let them all use it! My daughter in Preparing always has to take a break to come and listen to the Thornton Burgess books and do the Rhymes in Motion. It might slow us down a little, but it's so much fun.

[juliekay]

You will find that if you are going to dig the stuff out for 2 you might as well get enough out for 5! Also, you will find that not all of the projects will appropriate for a younger person with lesser motor skills or even writing or drawing skills, but be assured that your age appropriate child will love all of their projects. Thankfully, Carrie has done an amazing job of keeping both the history projects and science experiments very simple and easy to implement! Have fun!

[smithdonnajo]

Thanks for the ideas! We will just have fun and let them all try the projects even if it's not in "their" program.

Donna Jo

[Carrie]

Donna Jo,

Sometimes we let our boys join in with each other's projects and other times we don't. It partly depends on how much time the project is taking and what time I have left in my day. I will say that with my older son's projects we typically don't let our next son in line join in, as our second son will be doing those projects coming up in a year or two anyway (and we don't want it to be too much of a repeat). We're more likely to let the little ones join in once and awhile on my middle son's projects if time allows, but we don't make a point of it. It's wonderful to have each child have their own special age-appropriate things to look forward to in the day instead of extending our day with everyone doing each other's things. You'll have to weigh your thinking on this and how close in age your sweeties are!

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

The projects are great fun - I so agree! We do a few of them together if there is a benefit for the whole group getting involved. For example, the feasts are fun ones to involve all, or the acting out of the crossing of the Red Sea, etc. But, I will throw a couple cautions out there - consistently having everyone do everyone else's projects adds time to your day, sometimes a lot, which can sometimes means other things that need time get the shaft or get rushed. Also, it's nice for dc to feel like some of their things are special, just for them, especially my older one likes to feel like his projects are older and more for him, and my middle one likes to feel like he did great on his project without comparing his work to his older brother's and feeling like it came up short. Anyway, those are just a few things to consider as when ladies say they are frustrated their day is taking too long with a few HOD guides, it's usually because everyone is doing everything, so I thought I'd just mention this so you can ponder how best to enjoy your HOD guides and days. Personally, I'd start out with them separate and then add things in together if you want to later when you see how your day goes, but that's just me.

In Christ,
Julie

P.S. I guess Carrie and I were typing at the same time here.

[smithdonnajo]

Carrie and Julie,
Thanks for putting it this way. I didn't think of those things, but it makes alot of sense to let them have their own projects for the reasons you mentioned. Their ages are 3 dd, 9 dd and 11 ds.

Thanks! This really helps alot.
Donna Jo