Need help for choosing

[abtowell]

Ok, I bought LHFHG and BHFHG last year. I like both. However my special needs child took over last year and we are only halfway through Bigger and I won't even embarass myself with where my poor kindergartener is. I promised the therapist I would keep this up until September. There is supposed to be some sort of revelation if it's done intensively. If it doesn't work ( it hasn't so far) I may have to be commited.

Anyhow onto my dilema this coming year. Once again I can't choose for my eldest. She will be going into 7th grade. She is extremely bright and has rode her poor mother's whims of curriculum switching to accomadate the 2 special needs kids with barely a scratch. She is stuck in history though. I tried so many things, we never did American History. She has gone in chronological order from beginning of time to about 1780 so far. She has done so much of it I would call it intensive. She can read at an 11th grade level so she has read more then her share in these eras. She really wants to know what happens next but the 2 special siblings can't remember a thing of what I have taught so far. DS #3 who is not special needs but two years behind the oldest followed along pretty well but wouldn't be so bored by not going on. So anyhow my plan is first try to not go broke, so I am not buying her TOG Year 3 like she would like, but to buy Story of the World Year 3 and 4 for her to read this summer so she knows what happens next and then but her in the new RTR with my DS#3 who will be in 5th grade next year. I should add that the oldest has also completed R&S 6 grammar with flying colors so she will need to do R&S 7. I have done half of the IEW Medieval book in TOG 2, should I do it again, or try something else for her. She is a great writer, naturally, but doesn't have much training in it as it isn't my strong suit. I intend to put her in Videotext Algebra for Math. I haven't had her spell in I don't know how long because she is a natural speller and penman. She does the Worldly Wise books for vocabulary but hardly ever gets one wrong so I am wondering if this is pointless as well. Does this sound like a good year for what I have described about her? I am trying so hard to combine to lessen the workload but Bigger was way too easy for her. She had all the books read in 6 weeks, and then begged for the TOG Year 3 lit books for Christmas which Grandma thankfully bought her. She's almost done with those. I really feel anything less than RTR will be a joke for her. She has already read Story of the Middle Ages and some other selections in RTR. Also I am trying to decide if I should do Apologia General Science or Noeo Biology 2, next year as HOD science hasn't been enough for her so far.

OK, that is the lowdown on DD#1 now for DS#2. He will be going into 5th grade for the most part. he is special needs. He was mild CAPD and has math difficulties. He does try really hard though and has a pretty good attitude most of the time. He is diagnosed ARNL, so I think that is some of it. Anyhow, he is stuck in Math. I have tried Singapore, R&S, MUS, and some random books from Sam's club. He has the most difficulty with word roblems and he needs lots of review. He has memorized his math facts, but he needs lots of repetition when he learns something new. he also has lots of trouble with Time and Money. Any math suggestions would be great as the best I know to do is to try R&S again as that has worked best so far. He didn't do well in R&S grammar 3 so I put him in Growing with Grammar 4 this year and he did better in it but it isn't as thorough. I am unsure whether to switch back or not for grammar. He is a workbook sort of kid. he likes to read all right, but he doesn't do well being read to, due to the CAPD and his being a visual learner. Consequently he doesn't like history and doesn't retain it much. He also has very little science knowledge. He knows, baking soda and pop make bubbles but never pays attention to why. I am trying to decide if I should put him back in an all in one like R&S or the like, or if should drag him along in RTR, with another grammar and math. He could really use more science. That is the only thing I don't like about BIgger, it's all reading, for the most part. he likes to draw the notebook pages, but we don't often get to it because of #4's therapy. I hope to rectify that next year.

DS#3 is like DD#1 in what he retains. He likes history, science, and math. He can't stand workbooks though and it is like pulling teeth to get him to do his work. He will do a Math workbook but not one where you have to work on your own paper. He finished the Singapore for this year, and I have him in Making Math Meaningful 5 right now. He hasn't memorized his facts yet, but I haven't the time to do it with him right now. He understands all the functions so I just leave it be. H elikes HOD, and TOG but only is I am the reader. I haven't the foggiest clue why God thinks I can handle him and DD#4 in the same house but I figure there is a reson I just don't know it yet. My plan for him is to do HOD RTR, and possibly NOEO biology( he likes extra science.) haven't decided on R&S grammar or Growing with Grammar again, same problem as DS#2. It is less trouble but not as thorough. Trying to get this boy to do R&S alone, is like catching the wind. He thrives on discussion and being read to.

DD#4 is the time sucker. She has therapy that requires a ridiculous amount of time each day. Her behaviour issues cause trouble if shei sn't in the room with me, but she understands nothing I read, so she gets no benefit from being in where I am reading. I am going to do something with her next year, but not as much as now. She doesn't comprehend hardly anything she reads and she can't do math at all, unless I sit right there with her. I have taught her to carry and borrow for 3 years now and everythime I take some time off I have to reteach it. She is finally retaining her addition facts but they do no good, since shedoesn't understand the concepts. I need to work on like skills, and reading comprehension with her. Suggestions are welcome, but I don't know that I won't have tried it already. Right now, the therapist says, I read a sentence, she reads it, then I ask a question. This works best. She reads well for her age, but just doesn't understand any of it. I intend to go along with her neurodevelopmental therapy as much as I can next year, and add things that she can sit and do, while I am busy with the others if possible. She should be going into the 4th grade next year, but that won't happen for several years I assure you. I think she is finally past first though. I think she has all the first grade skills and alot of second now, so that is progress.

DS#5 was sorely neglected this year for the others. He should have been in k/1st. he turned six last week. He is very bright but doesn't get much one on one, with mom. He has an outstanding attention span, for his age. I am going to spend my summer, finshing teaching him how to read and do LHFHG the right way next year. He begs to do it, I just can't right now. So I guess I don't need anything but time for him as I know what I want to do.

There is also a DS#6 and #7, they will be 4 and 2 for the school year next year. They get bored and interupt, alot but, I would too, if I was little and my mom spent that much time with someone else. I am going to schedule them, time with each person for 30 minutes or so throughout the day to help with this, when I decide what we are doing.

So any suggestions, would you do something different for anyone? I don't have anyone to ask here. We are military and our new friends have 2 kids and alot of time. I should add that I don't. We also have dairy goats and don't do any coops or outside activities, excpet 4-H once a month as we live 30 minutes from town. I have considered not doing the goats, but they are mine and the oldest daugther's therapy so to speak. Otherwise we might not be sane with our indoor circus. DS#3 helps, he likes the idea but he fights the lazys. DS#2 does not like animals, he is my indoor helper, he likes to cook, and watch little people. DS#5 will be a goat person, he loves helping. DD#4 unfortunately is unsafe around any animal due to her attachment issues, I wish it was differnt, but she is exhausting and I would like to include her in more, but I am tired after 6 years of constant work. She plays outside while I help with the goats. For the most part DD#1 and DS#3 handle them alone. We are just glad daddy deploys for the summer this year and not the winter.

[abtowell]

Did I put this in the right place? I now see that it's archived threads. That is too much to type over again .

[Carrie]

abtowell,

I will move this thread over to the Main Board where more moms will see it. All new threads begin on the Main Board.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Samuel'sMommy]

Hi! I only have one little guy so I don't really have any advice on choosing for your older child. I did have one idea for your 4 & 2 year old that might work. I know you said that they are bored alot and you were going to try to schedule time for them with each of the other kids. Would your oldest like to spend time with them doing Little Hands to Heaven? It only takes about 30 minutes a day to actually do the lesson, but my son always loved the activities and would continue playing them throughout the day long after we were done with school. If you are feeling too busy, they might enjoy having some time with their big sister. Just a thought!

[Carrie]

abtowell,

I apologize for taking a bit of time to get back to you and appreciate your patience. You were very thorough in sharing your kiddos, which is a big help. I am not sure that I have it all straight, so if I am confused somewhere feel free to clarify for me.

I can see that you have a very busy household and that your time is at a premium, so I'll share a few options that I'm pondering that may work for you. As I'm reading about your oldest daughter, I'm thinking she could definitely do CTC or RTR, however it will be a different kind of reading than it sounds like she is used to doing. The readings will be in smaller bite-sized portions, CM-style, having her live with a book throughout the year and think on it and respond to it daily, rather than reading through the books at her own pace. This takes some time to get used to, but is a wonderful strategy for more thoughtful, deeper reading. There is an absolutely huge difference between Bigger Hearts and CTC and an even bigger jump up to RTR, so that will be something to ponder. I would suggest thinking of your oldest daughter all on her own for best placement, and then place her in the program that fits her best. This is because both CTC and RTR are quite independent. If you do go the RTR direction with her, I would definitely lean toward finishing Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons with her.

As far as your next two kiddos go, I would lean toward either completing the last half of Bigger Hearts with them or moving them up to Preparing Hearts together instead. This is because your sons still desire you to do the reading (and both CTC and RTR are designed for the students to do the readings and to do the follow-up directions and all written work very independently, with the exception of DITHR and the Medieval Writing Lessons). So, I think your sons would be in over their heads with CTC or RTR in both in the independent reading and writing departments, making it again a program that would take much more of you than it is intended to take.

As far as your #4 dd, I would work on her 3R's mainly and have her sit in with your #5 ds for the readings within LHFHG. Your 4 year old could join in LHFHG if desired, or could instead be off playing with the 2 year old during your LHFHG time. I would try to keep one 30 min. time slot to do the left side of LHFHG with your two kiddos who would be using it (while possibly having your older daughter watch over your two young ones during this time to give you the 30 minutes you'd need).

Anyway, just some thoughts.

Blessings,
Carrie