Thanks, ladies, for putting this message out there!

When dc are appropriately placed, and when they are all doing HOD, doing 4 guides works great!

You are all living proof of this. I cannot tell you how many moms Mike, Carrie, and I meet that are petrified at the idea of attempting even 2 guides - even when their dc are obviously extremely far apart in age or ability. The message that "you must combine or you won't be able to homeschool" is a very strong one. It makes me sad because it makes it tough for moms to even consider doing different aged dc in different guides, even when it is so obvious that is what would be best for the dc.

Combining dc is a wonderful thing - SOMETIMES!

Not combining dc is a wonderful thing - SOMETIMES!

With HOD, you have the choice of combining or not combining, based on what fits your dc best. Thank you for sharing the other side of the coin here, as it is not shared often, and the mentality that you "must combine" to be able to homeschool is making many moms either hang up their homeschooling shoes or homeschool only to the oldest leaving the youngest to flounder. Thanks, Liz, for this very encouraging and informative thread! And thanks ladies, for continuing to share your success stories using multiple HOD guides - please keep sharing it. Others need to hear about it and know they can do it too.
In Christ,
Julie