Struggling with kids being in different guides--

[lovetobehome]

Hello, I need some advice!
My son did HOD CtoC this year and it went great. My daughter, well, we had planned to use another HOD guide but I never followed through. I was hoping to do Prep next year with her, but again I am thinking I don't want to do 2 programs. Even though CtoC was independent for my son and RtoR will be too. I just don't like managing so many different pieces. I would rather do ONE storytime, ONE Bible memory, ONE Bible reading, etc. The kids each want to do what the other is doing and get jealous and frustrated, and so our day ends up much longer because they are listening in to the other's work.
I open up the Preparing guide each day (over the last couple weeks) and look at it all, and think, really? Do I really want to do all these bits with her today? No. So I close it. And get nothing done.
I am just sort of hoping to possibly keep them in the same time period, maybe? And share the same Bible readings and memory, and storytime. But simplify things a lot for her, while making it still fun.
Anyway, my question is this. If you were having the oldest child do RtoR, and you wanted to have the younger share in some of that but also have her own thing, what would you have her do? He is 11, she will be 9. They are at very different skill levels, but I really want to combine somehow. I am just thinking, do I really want them always studying different things? As a family, I feel we should be more integrated. I just really, really, really like the idea of having some cohesion to what we are doing, as a family, in school. I will be starting my 4yo too, and to think of doing 3 guides at once is just not what I want for us.
Help!

[GinainMD]

I know what you are saying and it can be overwhelming at times! But.... I think it is actually harder to combine them if they are far apart skill wise than to just have each do their own guide. I combine my oldest two dds because they are nearly equal in skill level. Do the higher level guides read the read alouds to themselves? If so they could do that simultaneously in separate rooms of course. I haven't used those guides so I'm not much help.

[holyhart]

What if you did the seperate guides as the amount of writing in RTR would most likely be too much for your younger dd and you would have to do the seperate LA, Math etc. anyhow, only combine them together for bible, memory and peotry (allowing the copywork at her pace). The history readings may be harder for your dd to comprehend as she is younger so maybe do the history and rotating box at her level as well. I'm just thinking aloud here and not sure if this could work or not, but I thought perhaps combining them in a few things might help take the edge off.

[Rebecca]

Well-

I am enjoying, enjoying the joys of being UNCOMBINED.
So that is my perspective.

I read a thread on here awhile ago about choosing guides where the students can learn independence. So- that said- I wouldn't put your daughter in Preparing until she really could do much of it on her own- with your structured guidance. This is exactly what I am doing- my son will be 10 in July and he is on Unit 6/7 in Preparing and it is a beautiful fit. I read the history, he reads the storytime. (I do all the follow-ups and discussion). I do the Bible Box, Language Arts Box, etc. with him. He works in the other boxes- with some help. I am really using this guide to train him toward independence. He is also reading some of the extensions on his own- but I am not requiring formal narrations, etc. My oldest son- I started in RTR (and I am actually worried it is too easy for him. ?)

My eight year old son is halfway through Beyond and it is great.

I think when you have multiple guides "going", it is really important to teach them the way HOD recommends- i.e. independent= independent.

I burnt out on Preparing last year (Jan. 2010) trying to combine my two sons. But I was trying to teach too many of the boxes to make it work. It was too easy for my oldest and too challenging for my second son and it was so stressful. O. My. I actually really enjoy have a storytime/one on one time with each of my students. It was so easy for one of more to get overlooked- it still is- but at least with my guide- I have a plan for getting back on track.

[Rebecca]

My computer started acting funny. So I ended quickly.

I think if something feels that burdensome, it is really time to start praying and reevaluating and the Lord will show you the correct plan! I will say that I was completely burdened with Preparing before, too. It took us so long to finish the first 4 units- like several months. So I had to set it aside. However, in the setting aside, the Lord worked, and now here we are- and I look forward to my teaching time every day and I am so blessed and thrilled to see the Lord working in each son individually, and yet they share insights and enjoy hearing each others learning, etc. So we do have a sweet family unity- even in the midst of being "uncombined."

I don't find the Bible Time to be so much that it is hard to teach multiple boxes- but we also have a group time together (simple) at breakfast and do other things together as a family- so I look upon it more as my discipling time with them.

I am also wondering when your daughter will be 9. My son will be 9 at the very end of November, and like I said, he is half-way through Beyond and we are so loving it. It is nice to be able to work with him one on one, discuss with him, etc. He is really thriving.

Depending on that- I think Beyond might be a good fit- allowing you to work with her with different skills and let your older child move ahead. My oldest son is 11 too, by the way.

I hope this helps a little.
I do have two combined in LHFHG- and that is also going wonderfully. They are 5 and 6(almost 7). They love it and are doing so well together right now.
Rebecca

[Rebecca]

Sigh- as I really looked back at your post- I realized you were really just wanting help in combining.

I am sorry!
I do hope that something I wrote might help anyway.

I pray, right now, that God gives you peace in your direction for your family and your school. He will show you the way!!

May His refreshing grace and strength- just flow over you and fill you!

Rebecca