Uncombining? I need help

[Mumkins]

My son is extremely bright. However, I burnt him out. I pushed him quick by starting first grade in K. And due to our cut off times, that was two months before he turned 5. He did great! But after awhile, his zeal for learning dwindled greatly and I've pulled him back a bit. He's now on grade level in most subjects. I have combined him with his older sister since Bigger. He kinda struggled with the writing in Preparing last year. I put them in school after March break. We'll be homeschooling again, starting in 2 1/2 weeks. I've received CTC now and looking at it, I think it's a wonderful program and will suit my oldest wonderfully. However, I think it's too much for DS. DS says he feels he's more prepared to do the writing in Preparing now as he had to write so much in school. He's a very good reader, but the independent subjects look really meaty. I'm thinking of having him read one history study lesson and see how it feels to him. Just in my gut, I feel he'll do better with CTC next year though. I know it's not recommended back to back, but it's pretty independent up here.

We've still got 13 weeks of Preparing left. Should I have DD on CTC right away and start him on Preparing and then CTC when he finishes. Though they'd be off by just 13 weeks. Would that feel off? Or do I have DD finish Preparing as well? She'll be 11 next month. I really think she can handle CTC right now. Should I have him finish Preparing and then do something else the rest of the year? Should I do something else and have him doing Preparing at the end of the year? Half pace it for him? But then, would he be ready for a full pace CTC next year? Or should I just keep plugging on, finish Preparing with both and start both in CTC? We'd finish Preparing about 6 weeks after he turns 9. Some other solution I'm not seeing? DH says we should just keep him where he is, Preparing then start CTC as he's bright and can keep up. I guess he can keep up, but I wonder if he'd get more out of it if we wait. DH hasn't actually looked at the curriculum, lol, he's just going by age and because DS is smart.

IDK what to do...

[my3sons]

Well, there are lots of possible answers to this, so this is just one idea I'll share. I think I'd stop dd now in PHFHG and have her start CTC. She sounds well placed there. Then, I'd finish out PHFHG with ds and start CTC half-speed for awhile with him after that. I used to be a person that didn't think back to back guides would be good, by I have changed my mind about that now. Back to back guides when they fit dc well according to placement are fine - especially from PHFHG on up, as there is more independence in the guides anyway. I have taught several of the guides 3 times and still love teaching them. I have not taught them back to back, but I can tell I would not mind now. Also, so many ladies on the board have taught back to back guides and shared how much they enjoyed it. I take a lot of stock in their opinions, as I have not done so myself, and they would know best! So, with this plan...

This school year: dd would finish CTC, and ds would finish the last 13 weeks of PHFHG, and the first 11 units or so of CTC half-speed (going with around 35 weeks, 4 days a week, school year).

Next school year: dd would do RTR, and ds would do half-speed CTC for around 5 months or so (taking about 20 weeks to get through Units 12-21), and then finish out the last units 22-35 full-speed.

The following school year: dd would do RevtoRev, and ds would do RTR

That is just one thought though - you will know best what plan seems to fit with your dc's needs! I just have a hunch you might see both dc absolutely soar in their working separately, and that will be such a breath of fresh air from having the mindset ds will have to pushed along and dd possibly held back some. I guess you could try it and see? If this option doesn't appeal to you, there are certainly many other ones that would work. Hope something here has helped!

In Christ,
Julie

[tiffanieh]

I was just going to chime in that i LOVE Julie's suggestion for you! I have a 9 year old (going into 3rd grade, but could be a 4th grader) and although he too is smart, I purposefully have decided to NOT put him in Preparing this year as I think I would run into the very thing you are concerned about, especially as they continue to go higher and higher in the guides. I couldn't even fathom him doing CTC this year!

I would certainly follow your momma gut instincts, as it sounds you are doing, and Julie's suggestion seems like a great one for your kiddos!

[Mumkins]

Thank you Tiffanieh:)

I like that idea Julie:) With going half speed, should I have him do full days on/full days off or split it up, half one day, half another? I'm leaning towards full days on and on the off days, math, English and perhaps I can order a science curriculum or something he may be interested in?

[tiffanieh]

In my opinion the whole benefit of doing it half speed is to not overwhelm the child by spreading the work out over two days vs one. By doing it as you suggest I would think you would still have an overwhelmed child in the ON days since nothing has changed except getting a day "off" the next day. I would spread the work out over two days, doing math and perhaps grammar everyday. Add in the science if you'd like too each day. That would make a VERY full schedule for a 8/9 year old boy in my opinion!!

[Mumkins]

It's not that Preparing was too much though, it's that I just don't want him to start CTC til next year. IDK....I'm working on a schedule. I love making schedules. This frees up a lot of the trouble I was having with sharing books and stuff.

[Mumkins]

Never mind, lol. Read that wrong. Yes, need to make sure we don`t get onto CTC full speed too fast.

[my3sons]

I'm glad you liked the idea, and I think you will find this to be a nice way to meet each of their needs without being overloaded as their teacher. For continuity, I'd do half of CTC one day, and the other half of it the next. This also maintains a balance between disciplinary and inspirational subjects within each day, rather than one day being heavy on disciplinary subjects (i.e. math, grammar, etc.). HTH as you decide what to do!

In Christ,
Julie

[Mumkins]

Just playing with a calendar. If I stop half pace after Christmas of next year, he'd start week 15 full pace, at just a little less than 10 1/2 and finish the end of June. He'd start RTR shortly before he turns 11 and will be in 6th grade.

[8arrows]

Julie's plan looks great if you want to separate. If you are just trying to sort out if you should combine, I wonder if he would not just keep doing well in CTC If it is going fairly well with Preparing now. I find one set of books much easier to handle than two. You are jumping back into homeschooling with a little one and a full plate. I know many women think two programs are easier. I do not. It is too much for me to juggle physically (books) and mentally (different topics). I would finish out Preparing and then make a decision; but I am not the mom, and you have insight we will not have. I have seen some of your other getting-ready-for-school posts, and if I may be so bold, I would hold off on the French until you get your feet wet and a good schedule going. New stuff is more fun, but implementation and time factors can be wearing. You don't want to over-extend. Simple and well-done is often the better road.

[Mumkins]

French is an independent subject, they do it on their own, so it's no more trouble for me. I'm actually pretty excited about uncombining them. I've felt like I was dragging him along ever since Bigger. Plus, now I don't have to figure out who gets to read which books when. She can work at her own pace without running into the issue of DS using something she needs. I'm going to give it a shot with separate guides.