New to homeschooling and very excited

[mopdop]

Hi all, we just got our box today: I am doing Beyond with my 1st grade son. He did Bob Jones K at a private, Christian school last year, and it reading at a 2/3 grade lever, so I hoping I placed him correctly.

We have been on a long journey towards keeping our boy home, and I now feel that to be an authentic follower of Jesus, I can no longer be a hypocrite and ignore this calling. Sigh, and smile at the same time. Hubby started talking about homeschooling before we were married, however I thought that only fundamental, uber-conservative, right-wing Christian's home schooled. However, I didn't know a single home school family at that time!

Once we started having kids I realized that there is a huge home school community in our area, and that the kids were really normal, fun kids to be around. Suffice it to say circumstances have now worked out so that we will be starting the journey this year.

I look forward to being part of this group and sharing the journey with you all,

Mandie

[krismoose]

Hi Mandie, and welcome along! I just started Beyond with my 1st grade son and we're enjoying it very much. Glad to join you on your journey!

[mother4christ]

I am so excited about HOD, I just discovered it about 6 week ago and I can't wait to order it for this year! I am planning on doing Beyond for my 1st and 3rd grade boys! Obviously they will be doing separate math levels and maybe reading. (still working on reading for my 8yr old). I JUST LOVE the catalog and the website!! Wow! I had the chance to talk to a mom that I just met today that does HOD and she says she LOVED IT! Last year was her first year and she said it was totally a God thing to find it!

Love the discussion board here and I just think (Carrie) has done a FABULOUS job with everything and I haven't even started yet!! ha ha LOL

[meandmycuties]

How exciting! I can't wait to get our stuff! How many days did it take for your box to arrive?

[3sweeties]

Hi Mandie!

Just wanted to welcome you to homeschooling and HOD!!! We are getting ready to begin our 5th year of homeschooling and our 3rd year with HOD and it has been an exciting adventure so far! HOD helps me to truly disciple my children, which is what I know God has called me to do. I am already seeing the fruit in my kids from homeschooling and using HOD and it is all worth it! Hope you have a wonderful year!

[mskogen]

Welcome! This is our 4th year with HOD and we will use HOD until the end! You will have a great year and this board is wonderful!

[holdinon]

Welcome to HOD! (and to home schooling in general!)

We are heading into our 8th year of homeschooling (if you count kindergarten), our third year with HOD. You are blessed to have come across HOD from the beginning of your journey. Not that our first 5 years were bad, but our last few years with HOD have been truly a blessing in every way!

Angie

[SusieinMS]

Hi there!

Welcome to the wonderful world of hsing! I started hsing my oldest 3 oh about 13 years ago, and I remember the excitement of the new endeavor in our lives. HOD had not been *invented* back then (or if it had my kiddos were too old for the first levels), and now my oldest 3 are graduated and pursuing their own lives. Even our oldest who married just before Christmas just found out they are expecting their first little one. Both my dd and her dh were hsed, so I have no doubt as long as the Lord wills it they will do the same. We are now hsing our 6 yo (who will be an aunt when she is still 6! hehe) and I am enjoying the adventure all over again.

There are a lot of great curricula out there, but I count HOD among the best. Happy you found it at the beginning of your journey!

Susie ~

[CindyK]

Welcome Mandie! I hope you have a great year! I've homeschooled "forever" like Susie but this is my 2nd year with HOD. I am doing LHFHG with my K & 2nd grader with my 2nd grader doing Beyond right side options and both doing Beyonds Classic read alouds. Our box comes tomorrow so we are super excited!! I also have a 13 year old (8th grader) doing RtR with extensions. We are looking forward to a great year!!

Susie, I also have 2 older boys that are in college. One is married and just had a baby boy! So my dd is an aunt at age 5 and my ds is an uncle at age 7! Love it! Love being a grandma too!!

Hope everyone has a great year!

[tjswaine]

Mandie, welcome to HOD! My oldest went to a private Christian school for K too. I missed him so much while he was away and had no peace with him gone. Thankfully my husband agreed to homeschooling the following year and we've been enjoying HOD for the last few years. I pray you and your son will enjoy Beyond as much as we did.

[VAmomto4]

Welcome! It sounds like you will have a great year!

I do want to suggest that you continue phonics instruction. A quick trip through one of the HOD recommendations would work, or perhaps something simple like ETC. BJU continues their phonics instruction over several years and skipping later grades will leave phonics instruction incomplete. These deficiencies may not be obvious now but they can manifest around 3rd-4th grade. I'm sure Julie or Carrie could advise you better.

[mopdop]

Thanks for all your warm welcomes and replies. Our box only took 3 days to arrive (minus a Sunday) which was super fast!!! As for the phonics recommendation, we are working through the second half of The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading this summer, so he gets the rest of the phonics he needs. I had that for use in K (then he went to school!) and he actually truly detested it this time last year. Now, while it's not his fav thing to do, he will work through 1-2 lessons each morning. He wants to get it finished so he can start the 'fun' readers with HOD! I ordered the emerging readers set, although he has already ready 4-5 of the books. He's read these to himself before bed, so I thought it would be good to have him read them to me, and talk about them.

We are so very excited - he keeps telling everyone we meet that his mummy will be his teacher next year, but daddy will teach science!

MM

[VAmomto4]

Thanks for all your warm welcomes and replies. Our box only took 3 days to arrive (minus a Sunday) which was super fast!!! As for the phonics recommendation, we are working through the second half of The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading this summer, so he gets the rest of the phonics he needs. I had that for use in K (then he went to school!) and he actually truly detested it this time last year. Now, while it's not his fav thing to do, he will work through 1-2 lessons each morning. He wants to get it finished so he can start the 'fun' readers with HOD! I ordered the emerging readers set, although he has already ready 4-5 of the books. He's read these to himself before bed, so I thought it would be good to have him read them to me, and talk about them.

We are so very excited - he keeps telling everyone we meet that his mummy will be his teacher next year, but daddy will teach science!

MM

Great choice! I used that with my oldest daughter and it laid an excellent foundation .

[SusieinMS]

Susie, I also have 2 older boys that are in college. One is married and just had a baby boy! So my dd is an aunt at age 5 and my ds is an uncle at age 7! Love it! Love being a grandma too!!

I think it is funny having young children become aunts and uncles, but oh so sweet. I can't wait for the little belly bean to arrive.

[netpea]

Welcome to HOD! Looking forward to getting to know you better.