Considering skipping LHTH for the first time - boy child!

[MelInKansas]

Well, I have one son and now he is 4. My intention last year was to start him on LHTH this year and take it slow, taking probably more than a year to finish it. He is a very smart boy but has vision problems and only just recently was at all interested in any fine motor skills practice. He would do cutting or writing if I asked him to, but it was a struggle. He had a surgery for his eyes and this seems to have improved things some. He will now color or sit and scribble or create things on his own (he's into making "maps" right now). But as to the basic knowledge most preschoolers are expected to know, he is on track if not ahead. He knows letters (we could probably work on sounds), numbers, counts items at least up to 5 accurately, knows 0-10. Has done simple addition. Colors, shapes, patterns. In fact once we knew he had the vision problem I was amazed at all the things he had figured out without being able to see very well.

He would enjoy LHTH and the thing I think he would gain the most from is the Bible. My 1.5 YO would actually probably like the rhymes as well and maybe could do some of the activities in a modified way. But there are two reasons I am considering just letting him be free range (with reading time and his own desired activities/fine motor skills) instead of doing LHTH this year. 1) I am not sure how to fit it in with my 3 other guides and my VERY ACTIVE toddler. Interruptions are constant and progress is slow. 2) He already knows his letters well (I was proud of him for reading the letters on the eye chart last time, he moved up from the shape chart!) and numbers and seems ahead in math. Now I would love the Bible for him and I'm sure it would probably fill in some gaps in skills or knowledge that I haven't covered. But I am really considering skipping it and just trying to start LHFHG sometime next summer or fall instead.

I know some of you will say "wait and do LHTH next year for K." I could try that, but again we would be another whole year down the road and I think his knowledge, skills, and attention span will probably fit LHFHG better by then. He likes to listen to my daughter's Beyond read-alouds sometimes. And LHFHG has been K for me, life happens and I have been having babies with regularity and I like not feeling that I am putting them "behind" by taking time off the curriculum.

The longer I homeschool the more I think early years are for play. And even though there are very good things in LHTH, my son's struggles and my own struggles as a mom who has often beaten myself up for "not doing enough" make me feel that he needs another non-schooled year. Not that I will expect nothing of him at all, but I don't want to put a structured curriculum on him yet. Maybe part of it is selfish. But part of it is also not wanting school to be a battle and something he hates to do. Though when I have had him do stuff he can usually do it with a good attitude and is proud of what he's done.

Tell me your thoughts. Thanks!

[momtofive]

I think your plan for your son is wonderful! So many times you read of children pressed into the school mold before it's really the best time for them. So much progress in learning can happen through "just playing", and it sounds like you've fostered a good environment for him to easily learn. One thought came to mind as you mentioned the Bible portion....you could possibly just incorporate that into his day, and not worry too much about the rest since he sounds like he's doing great in those areas. It would be a special little lesson time together, leaving him lots of freedom to play and learn in other ways through the day. He sounds like a sweet little guy, and also sounds like you're doing a great job of giving him a lifestyle of learning.

Blessings!