This is very helpful, Julie! I'm glad that it's okay to copy the poem, and my son may not take off on cursive. At least he's going to be able to read it well (which is important!) and he may surprise me and do well with it!my3sons wrote:
This was so good to read your thoughts here - and I think you are such a good mother to weigh this decision carefully - how blessed your ds is to have you for a mom! I will try to share some thoughts about what you've shared, but I know you will know best as your ds's mother.
1. If you are thinking he "could" do this, but it may cause some friction, I'd say go with finishing BHFHG with ext. Call me sentimental, but our time with our dc is too short - it needs to count. I'd go with enjoying the journey together over struggling through it. But again, that's just my thoughts, you will know best.
2. Not a big deal not to have him copy the poem. If not copying the poem allows him to give his utmost to the rest of BHFHG, then not copying the poem is in his best interests. For what it's worth, I did not have Riley copy the poems in BHFHG when we moved to going full-speed with him. I felt it would have deterred him from doing his best with the rest of it.
3. Some kiddos take off with cursive, and some don't - which is just fine. This is not a failure IMHO - it's just an indicator that printing will be preferred. I don't know of many males that LOVE cursive, so a year of cursive is A-OK with me, along with a little practice the next year, as HOD nicely helps with- and then after that, I think it becomes clear which type of writing each person prefers. So, see how it goes, and I think you'll know which fits your ds best. Either is fine IMHO!
The part in bold really helped me to distill my thinking here. I think moving to Preparing right now would push him ... and maybe make our days tense and rushed. I think one reason I'm thinking of bumping him up is that I think I'm expecting baby #5, who would be due late August of 2012. If I start Preparing in the Fall, I'll be adding a new program and a new baby. But I have to remember the God is sovereign over all, and He will work out the details.my3sons wrote: Yes, I think this makes good sense. I do think that finishing out Bigger Hearts with ext. unless ds makes a sudden leap forward in skills is a very, very good plan. Honestly, for me, I have decided what I can do to make our homeschooling be a joy, what I can do to maintain a heartfelt close relationship with my sons, and what I can do to make our day to day as smooth as possible - THAT is what will keep me homeschooling happily and successfully to the finish. So, if it's going well, and ds is feeling successful, and you are feeling progress, then I'd keep on keeping on, in the same way, and smell those roses along the way. I long for my dc to look back on homeschooling with me as a joy. I long to look back on our homeschooling as a delight. So, just pray about this, decide to either give PHFHG or not, and then within a week or so, I'd say (IMHO), make a decision that you in your mother's heart feel is best, and then give yourself and your ds some rest in this decision. Either way, your decision is just fine. I hope somehow this helps!
Thanks for this encouragement!my3sons wrote: And this is what gives me total peace about this. It will give you total peace too. Your heart's desire is God's desire, and that lines up perfectly. I will pray for you, but this guidance from God is flawless. He will show you the way, for sure.
That's ever earlier than I get up!