Where to begin...

[Sloan.sherri]

Hi, not sure where to begin with my family. We have a 4, 5and 7 year old. What should we consider ordering? I plan to use different language and math courses. Looking for a long term fit for our family. Thanks!

[countrymom]

Welcome! You will want to begin by looking at the placement chart, http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php. Once you have done that we will be happy to help you make some decisions. Placement is key to getting the most out of the HOD curriculum so we should definitely start there. Let us know what you find.

[Sloan.sherri]

According to the chart all three children would be in separate programs. Little hands to heaven for my 4 year old, little hearts for his glory for my 5.5 year old and beyond lhfhg for my 7.5 year old.

[mrsrandolph]

3 Guides is TOTALLY doable! I am doing 3 guides and DITHOR myself, and it is working well. However, I like to wait until a child is 6 to start LHFHG. But that is my personal opinion and not the opinion of the authors.

[bethelmommy]

While I have read here on the board that three guides can be done, I have also read that 3 guides back to back can be too much as you get into the older guides which are still parent intensive like Bigger and Preparing. Even though your children place in different guides, are there two children that are closer together skill wise that you could potentially combine?

For example, my 5 and 6.5 year old are combined in LHFHG, but the older does spelling, math and Emerging Readers from the Beyond Guide. The younger does LHFHG as written and they both do the 1st grade handwriting book. While my oldest could easily do the entire Beyond program, it works best for us to combine for as much as reasonably possible. There are extensions available starting with the Bigger guide if my oldest needs a bit more down the road. HTH

[homefire]

Hi and welcome I am actually doing those exact guides with my 4, 6 and 7 year olds and it is very doable. We start around 9 and end by lunch time. If you have specific questions I would be happy to answer them.

[MomtoJGJE]

I think if I were in your shoes I'd do LHTH with the two younger ones, adding in K level math, fine motor skills, phonics, etc. with the older of those two. Then when you move on to LHFHG you can do the K level stuff with your younger and 1st grade stuff with the older.

Also that would let you not do guides back to back.

[countrymom]

I agree with the pp and I would also probably place the younger two in LHTH with appropriate options. If you do the three guides back to back the years you have LIttle Hearts, Beyond, Bigger, and then Beyond, Bigger, Preparing could be really busy years. Not to say it couldn't be done, but I have read other posts where Carrie doesn't recommend it. If you wanted another option to consider you could place them in three guides but do LHTH for two years. You could go 1/2 speed and do the kindergarten options from Little Hearts the second year. This would spread your younger two out and help you through the years your olders are in Bigger, which is pretty teacher intensive. A third option would be to simply wait a year for your youngest and then do LHTH at full speed when he/she is 5. That would spread the guides out as well.

[EmilyJ]

I am doing LHTH with my 5 year old, adding in the kindergarten math, phonics, and fine motor skills from LHFHG. Next year (when she is 6), we'll do LHFHG in it's entirety with 1st grade options. I'm actually finding it a GREAT way to ease into school for her. She LOVES the activities in LHTH and while they are of course very easy for her, it doesn't matter really b/c on math/reading/handwriting, she's challenged. I like it because she and I have fun with her little sisters doing LHTH, and then I have time with my oldest to challenge her. (I also have a 3.5 year old and a 2 year old who just have fun bouncing around to LHTH, but my 3.5 is actually learning her letters with it, which is amazing given some of her challenges.) Anyway, for what it's worth...I know looking at LHTH seems too easy for a 5 year old, but we're enjoying it.

[Sloan.sherri]

Thanks for all of the input. We are finishing up adventures in my fathers world next week and are going to try HOD because my children are too young to combined with the next step in MFW. I think I'll get one program for my just turned 4 year old and combined my 5 and 7 year old. What do you think? Also, we use covenant home for phonics and handwriting spelling and math and have for 3 years now. I am thinking of using all about spelling andante u see or horizons because my 7 year old is having a difficult time memorizing math facts and spelling words. I feel that If she learns why she's spelling or doing a math problem she will excel. Probably too much information but of anyone has important that would be great!!

[MomtoJGJE]

Grain of salt: we've never done math or spelling not HOD way

I do not make my kids memorize spelling or math facts...

My oldest is in the second level of dictation in Preparing (she has gone through spelling list one and two, and the first level of dictation), my second is almost through with spelling list two, and my third has only watched/listened to them do their work. My oldest rarely spells anything wrong, and if she does it makes sense... it's not creative spelling in other words. My second is getting there. She does have some things that are still creative spelling (in her regular daily writing, not school related) but if I make her stop and think she can generally get close... she has obviously not had as much exposure to words. My third has not started spelling yet. She still mostly does creative spelling... but again hers makes sense based on what she's seen and heard from her sisters. Oh, and we also don't do phonics... so they have no phonics basis for spelling. In other words, HOD's spelling works without trying to make them memorize rules.

My kids have also only done singapore math. My oldest has a different learning style from my second and third. It takes her longer to grasp facts, but once she does she gets it completely. I always question how things are going with her, but then it clicks and she knows it. My second and third are obviously not as far along, but they know facts and they understand math. HOD does a great job of making math concrete for little ones.

[my3sons]

You could do LHTH with your just turned 4 yo, and Little Hearts for His Glory for your 5 and 7 yo. For your 7 yo, you can get just the Beyond guide and do the LA/math from the right side of that. There are also supplemental book choices listed by unit in the Appendix of LHFHG if you would enjoy using your library for those - but they are totally optional. As far as spelling and math, I'd encourage you to give HOD's Charlotte Mason methods a try! They have helped my ds who had difficulty in spelling (due to speech therapy early on) excel, while helping my ds who has always been a natural speller become even better. The real proof is in their own writing. They rarely misspell things anymore, especially my oldest who was the least natural speller, but has had the most years of HOD instruction. Many years of spelling/dictation, copywork, oral/written narrations, varied writing programs, and R & S English have built him into a balanced, strong writer. I am seeing the same results with my second ds - hooray! As far as math, the hands-on activities HOD has written right within the daily plans of each guide are awesome! Our dc love math, and all are doing well with it. Our oldest is just finishing 6B, our middle is just finishing 3B, and our littlest is in Earlybird K 1B. The lessons are solid, take a minimal amount of time, and teach sound mental math skills. HTH, and it sounds like you have a good plan in place!

In Christ,
Julie