Little Hands to Heaven Question

[Heart_Mom]

Hello!

My current situation is that I'll be teaching a 9th grader, 7th grader, 4th grader, 1st grader, and 4 year old in the fall. I'm trying to find a preschool program that I can do with my 4 year old that I can streamline and do in a short time per day. (I'd love to spend longer with her, but I don't have that luxury with my current situation.)

Here's my question. Do you think it's doable to do most days in 15-20 minutes? (I could pass some of the boxes off to an older sibling if I need to.)

Thank you!

**Edited to add that my signature is no longer accurate. I'll have to figure out how to change that another time.
Also, I posted this question on the LHTH board before I realized this was the place it should be posted.

[StephanieU]

We normally do the Bible reading, rhyme, and one other box. It doesn't take longer than 20 minutes to do that. As written it is 30 minutes a day unless you let something draw out. And you could easily have an older kid do a couple of boxes to get it all on if you wanted (anything crafty/dramatic got example).

[Heart_Mom]

Thanks for your response, StephanieU! I love the idea of doing the Bible reading and rhyme myself everyday, then asking an older sibling to do some or all of the other boxes. It's better to do some than nothing, for sure. And I know she'll love the rhymes!

[MelInKansas]

15-20 for you and a sibling to do one other box with them is definitely possible with LHTH. The fact that it's all laid out for you makes it go SO quickly. Also there are a few things your LO could sit at the table and work on concurrently with other kids who are doing seat-work if you like to run your homeschool that way. I do have "table time" where everyone (well the 9YO on down) is at the table doing things and if they need help I try to jump in and help them, read directions to my 7YO, etc. The cut and paste activity, maybe the hands-on activity, "count on me," "hide and seek," etc are all good table time activities.

I hope to start my 4YO with LHTH this fall too, so it's good for me to think through when to fit that in! I would often do it with my 3rd DD right before her nap, as naptime often included one-on-one time with a story or something anyway. This one no longer naps but I have to find a quiet time to fit him in.

[Heart_Mom]

15-20 for you and a sibling to do one other box with them is definitely possible with LHTH. The fact that it's all laid out for you makes it go SO quickly. Also there are a few things your LO could sit at the table and work on concurrently with other kids who are doing seat-work if you like to run your homeschool that way. I do have "table time" where everyone (well the 9YO on down) is at the table doing things and if they need help I try to jump in and help them, read directions to my 7YO, etc. The cut and paste activity, maybe the hands-on activity, "count on me," "hide and seek," etc are all good table time activities.

I hope to start my 4YO with LHTH this fall too, so it's good for me to think through when to fit that in! I would often do it with my 3rd DD right before her nap, as naptime often included one-on-one time with a story or something anyway. This one no longer naps but I have to find a quiet time to fit him in.

This is very helpful. Thank you! I hadn't considered that some of the activities could be done at the table while my then 1st grader does his math and spelling.

I also love the idea of reading to her before quiet time.

Lots to consider. Thank you so much!

[MelInKansas]

I will say that often the "count on me" or cutting and pasting go along with the Bible story and there's something to talk about with that. So it might work "better" to have read the Bible story before you do those, but it's probably fine to just say "later we are going to read about ____, so that's why we are drawing coins." Or just don't worry about it. But the way things weave together is really helpful for some kids so that's just something to keep in mind, usually the other activities do somehow go along with the Bible reading. Sometimes the "hands on" activity is something like "have your child (children) act out today's Bible story" and obviously you wouldn't do that without reading the story first.

You're a seasoned homeschool mom so you may not need to hear this, but I would just relax and take it easy with LHTH. Yes, you want your little one to engage and learn and grow, but if you don't do it one day, if you have to skip some in order to get it done in the year, don't stress. I've wasted so much time stressing over "checking boxes" and "getting it all done" and in the large scheme of things it's not that important. Do we want our kids to learn to finish things well? Yes of course we do. But just don't stress yourself out too much over it, that's my advice.

[Heart_Mom]

I will say that often the "count on me" or cutting and pasting go along with the Bible story and there's something to talk about with that. So it might work "better" to have read the Bible story before you do those, but it's probably fine to just say "later we are going to read about ____, so that's why we are drawing coins." Or just don't worry about it. But the way things weave together is really helpful for some kids so that's just something to keep in mind, usually the other activities do somehow go along with the Bible reading. Sometimes the "hands on" activity is something like "have your child (children) act out today's Bible story" and obviously you wouldn't do that without reading the story first.

You're a seasoned homeschool mom so you may not need to hear this, but I would just relax and take it easy with LHTH. Yes, you want your little one to engage and learn and grow, but if you don't do it one day, if you have to skip some in order to get it done in the year, don't stress. I've wasted so much time stressing over "checking boxes" and "getting it all done" and in the large scheme of things it's not that important. Do we want our kids to learn to finish things well? Yes of course we do. But just don't stress yourself out too much over it, that's my advice.

Thank you so much, Mel, especially for your 2nd paragraph. I have been doing this for a long time, but I tend to still stress about things. I guess that part of it is that I want my youngest to still get something even though things are very busy here (my father-in-law lives with us, too). But I know that even if I just do some here and there that she will be fine. It's certainly better than nothing.

Thanks for that reminder. I'll do what I can and remember that God is in control of it all.

[MelInKansas]

We like to give ourselves a hard time, now don't we? I too have struggled too much and too long with not "getting it all done" and feeling guilty that I'm not giving them enough because there are too many of them for me to be able to spend as much time with the younger ones as I did with my oldest and 2nd oldest when there were only 3. But then living with their siblings is learning for them too. I am amazed that my 3rd born and 4th born have picked up things like letters, numbers, patterns, and started writing (my 4YO son who never wanted to write anything before is right now writing and cutting up paper like there's no tomorrow - of course he also had eye surgery 5 weeks ago and that may be what's making the difference now) without really much focus on those things from me. But I think LHTH is a great introduction and a good easing into school work for the little ones. But with my 3rd born (and I plan to do this again with my 4th born) I said "I will do it if I have time, and if I don't, or its stressing me out, I won't." And there were times when that was 2 times or less each week. And she's doing fine - great in fact.

Sorry to share so much personal stuff. I'm glad I could encourage you in some way. God is so faithful and somehow He provides for everything our children need too, whether we do what we "should" all the time or not.

[Heart_Mom]

We like to give ourselves a hard time, now don't we? I too have struggled too much and too long with not "getting it all done" and feeling guilty that I'm not giving them enough because there are too many of them for me to be able to spend as much time with the younger ones as I did with my oldest and 2nd oldest when there were only 3. But then living with their siblings is learning for them too. I am amazed that my 3rd born and 4th born have picked up things like letters, numbers, patterns, and started writing (my 4YO son who never wanted to write anything before is right now writing and cutting up paper like there's no tomorrow - of course he also had eye surgery 5 weeks ago and that may be what's making the difference now) without really much focus on those things from me. But I think LHTH is a great introduction and a good easing into school work for the little ones. But with my 3rd born (and I plan to do this again with my 4th born) I said "I will do it if I have time, and if I don't, or its stressing me out, I won't." And there were times when that was 2 times or less each week. And she's doing fine - great in fact.

Sorry to share so much personal stuff. I'm glad I could encourage you in some way. God is so faithful and somehow He provides for everything our children need too, whether we do what we "should" all the time or not.

Oh, please no apologies. Your posts are so helpful. I will seek to have that attitude and rest in Him. It's a constant battle for me, but I will remember the God is sufficient, not me.