DITHOR-not consistent w/ it

[asherwood96]

I'm needing some tips ladies on how to be consistent w/ using DITHOR. It seems like a great addition to my daughter's curriculum (we are using PHFHG for 3rd grade). But at this point, I started w/ it at the beginning of the year and we now never get to it. So, how do you get to a point of consistency w/ it. Do you make copies up for each genre's worksheets ahead of time? I'm sure it is just a matter of taking the time to plan... I guess right now, it seems overwhelming to me. I also have 5yo twins doing LHFHG for Kindergarten, and an almost 3yo reluctantly potty training-- my husband works 80 hours a week, I try to work out 3 or4 times a week, we have Bible study, Awana, church, teaching at the home school co-op, trying to keep up w/ the house, piano lessons, basketball-- yada yada yada--you get the picture--This is something that has been put on the back burner and has been eating at me. I know there are ladies w/ bigger handfuls, and that this isn't impossible, so I would love to hear your feedback. Go easy on me ladies, I'm looking for encouraging ideas-- I know I should be doing it.

My one ease of conscience is that my daughter LOVES to read, soI know she is getting enough reading done. She just needs to have the formal instruction on the genres she's already enjoying.

[4Hispraise]

WOW!! What a busy mama and family! I can totally understand how you are not getting it done. I say, first give yourself some grace!!

What helps our family complete it consistently (and trust me, we have been right where you are MORE TIMES than I care to admit - and I only have 2 kiddos ) is letting my son use his DITHOR like a workbook. He writes in the book - eliminating (mostly) my need to make copies. We do the wrap up only for every other genre (less planning for me )...so, I go a little easy on that. I can't quite remember how DITHOR is planned in PHFHG, but you might consider just doing it every other day. Then, you would be consistently accomplishing it.

[Mommamo]

Wow! Another hsing family who is as busy as us! I totally get you on being busy. I teach piano, baby signing, and work from home, plus the kids have a myriad of activities. It can be tough to get to everything! We really struggled getting to DITHOR too at first. I think I felt like since it was in a different guide, it didn't have to be done. lol That sounds so silly! But I think that was somehow a factor.

We just use DITHOR as a workbook too. Yes, I will have to buy each level 3 more times, but it just made sense for us right now. We are doing it with preparing too. I just make sure we do it every day we school, just like math or whatnot. I also have my dd read it to herself completely. She is a great reader. She reads aloud to her siblings all the time, so I just don't worry too much about it. She also comes and tells me about her books, so I can tell her comprehension is spot on. I also preread, or at least skim, most of her books too so that I have an idea of what happened in her book.

[asherwood96]

Thanks ladies. I think just doing the wrap up section for every other genre is a good suggestion. Our budget is pretty tight right now, so I feel like I should be making copies. But, I might just check out the price of the workbook by itself and see if it isn't a terrible expense to reorder it with each child. I think if I go through and write in the teacher manual what part of DITHOR I need to get accomplished each day, I would be much more consistent about completing it since I would see what pace we need to be going at. I know I am spoiled with how awesome HOD is at doing all of that for me normally. W/ PGFHG it basically just says to do it each day. Every other day would be fine w/ me for right now, as long as we get consistent.

I appreciate you telling me to give myself some grace. I do feel like I try really hard to keep up with everything and there are some things that slip through the cracks. If I can get it organized into a system, we'll have a much better chance of being consistent with it.

Blessings,
Amy

[mom23]

Amy, thanks for this thread! I'm right there with you...I've tried for 2 yrs now to consistently get DITHR fit into our day, and it just doesn't happen...now I have another child who will be finished with the ER's very soon and will be having to try to make it happen for 2 kids, when I don't even get there with 1! Just wanted to let you know that you're not the only one struggling with this.

[my3sons]

I put DITHOR in the middle of our day, rather than at the end, and that has helped me! I only do DITHOR 3 times a week, as the upper guides suggest, which makes it easier to do. Using the HOD Book Packs has helped me schedule the number of days spent on a book and the number of pages read each day more easily than when I chose my own. I just use HOD's chart, and wa-lah! As far as the kickoffs, I take a day to choose the kickoff, and I choose according to what I have time for. In busier times, I choose something they can do on their own (i.e. for humor, I chose for them to play Twister). Usually one of the suggestions is easy to do, if I'm busy, I choose that, and they still love it. As far as the day to day assignments, I like to have my dc start reading their books independently while I quickly look over my part in their levels in the DITHOR TG. Then, whenever I'm ready, I zip over and listen to a few pages read aloud wherever they are at in their books, and then zip on to my next ds and do the same. This helps me keep a thumb on what's happening in their books, but I also skim a page at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the day's reading (and I do mean SKIM) . This helps me know what is going on easily, as the readings are meant to be kept short anyway, to be more Charlotte Mason style.

Then, we sit down, and I ask any discussion questions, explain the Student Notebook, and let them finish it out on their own. I also let them choose their wrap it up project, and then I jot Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5 in the margin of the guide next to the directions to show what they have to complete each day. They then do this quite independently, with me just overseeing anything they may need help on. Also, unless you have the old Student Books, they are copyrighted and can't be copied anyway, so you may as well have them write in them. We have enjoyed that more anyway, even though we do have the old Student Books, and we did copy them for years. Being able to write in them has really helped, and we use the same Student Book over 2 years by doing DITHOR just 3 days a week, so it's pretty economical that way. I hope something here helps, but the benefits of doing DITHOR are huge, so if you can, I'd give it some time! Even a month on, and then a month off would be a good start and a way to ease into it! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[asherwood96]

Thanks for the suggestions Julie, I will try and sit down and get some planning done over the few days we take off for Christmas. I thought I had read on a thread on here that it was ok to copy the workbook pages for personal use with your own children. oops. I'm a bit embarrassed if my brain just made that up!
Thanks again!
Amy

[my3sons]

Thanks for the suggestions Julie, I will try and sit down and get some planning done over the few days we take off for Christmas. I thought I had read on a thread on here that it was ok to copy the workbook pages for personal use with your own children. oops. I'm a bit embarrassed if my brain just made that up!
Thanks again!
Amy

So glad to help in any way, and you probably did read that on another thread about the copying! Those are the old DITHOR Student Books though - you can just check the copyright in the front of it to see if it says 'copy for your personal use.' Here is the thread where HOD explains the 'why' behind this...
Explanation of Why Copyright of DITHOR Student Books Has Changed:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11218&p=81747#p81747

Don't be embarrassed at all! This is a newer thing to DITHOR. I also can understand how life gets so b-u-s-y it is tough to do it all. We all need God right by our side, don't we?!? I think we may be in this stage for awhile too. Vitamins. Sleep. Hydrate. Caffeine. Chocolate. Occasional date with dh. All important to my well-being too! Give yourself some grace and permission to say 'no' to some things if you need to!!!

In Christ,
Julie