melissamomof5 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Please tell me your story. I've looked at all the threads on here about the two over the past few months. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO torn. I am praying about it. I am on year 4 with MFW. We have done K, 1st, Adv, and now ECC this year with my 7 and 8 year olds. My 3rd daughter, 5, is doing MFW K this year. I am just not sure we will be ready for CTG next year? I'm afraid it's going to be way too much for dd2. She will turn 8 Nov of this fall, and I've considered her 2nd this year...but I don't know if I've pushed her too early or not. I have been pouring over HOD's catalog, samples, and reviews for about a year now and am more confused now than I think I've ever been. I'm really curious what you experience has been if you've switched from one to the other. Why? Are you glad? Etc. If we switch to HOD, I'm thinking... LHFHG - still not sure if for K or 1 - for my youngest daughter (will turn 6 Oct) Beyond or Bigger ???? for my next (will turn 8 Nov) Bigger or Preparing??? for my oldest (will be 9 turning 10 during Feb that year) HELP ME :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I have not used MFW so I can't comment on that but I would first look over the skills placement and figure out where each child falls. I think depending on your kids skills I would try to combine the older two or the younger two. So some options would be: LHFHG-6 Bigger, or Preparing 8, and 9 Beyond- 6,8 Preparing(or Bigger) 9 If you end up not liking HOD you can always go back to MFW the year after and pick up where you left off. We love HOD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hearts4homeschooling Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 We have done some of each (MFW ECC and HOD CTG). We found the HOD schedule harder to keep up with because if we got behind in a subject, it was hard to keep track of where we were because the schedule just keeps going since it is so scheduled out. MFW's schedule has more flexibility because there are boxes you fill in. We used some of HOD CtG, and I would think that would be too much for an 8 y/o unless she was very advanced. I wonder if HOD would be easier to use at the older levels if it had been used at the younger levels so a family would already be used to its less flexible schedule, but I didn't use lower years so I'll really don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyinMD Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 We're currently using both at our house. I have my twins in MFW 1st grade and they did MFW K last year. We did do one of MFW programs for grades 2-8 last year with my 11 yo dd and she really didn't like it. My 11 yo is doing HOD Creation to Christ and loves it. She does a good chunk of it independently. I probably prefer MFW if I was the one picking but my dd has an obvious preference and this year has gone so much smoother as far as getting things done. Most of it is she likes checking the boxes off and she is taking much more responsibility for her own work. One of my issues with MFW last year was I couldn't see how Ex to 1850 was truly for grades 2-8. None of the stuff we did aside from some projects would have been anything a 2nd grader could have done. I know there is the supplement for that course for grades 2-3 but from what I saw I'd rather just use a different program for grades 2-3 because it seemed too light to me. It felt like the supplement was kind of an afterthought just to keep the family in one program. I really like MFW book choices though and I absolutely love the book basket list. I also have my issues with HOD. I do not like their science at all and don't use it. I also don't care for their recommendations for LA so we substitute all of that. Some of their projects are just plain silly and the instructions can be difficult to follow. I'd much rather track down occasional supplies than do projects that are too babyish. When my twins finish MFW 1st I still haven't decided what I will use after that. I purchased ADV at convention last spring and already have everything I would need to do that with them. I also came across a HOD Beyond manual for $20 and couldn't pass it up so I've been trying to decide which program I'd rather do. At this point we'll probably do ADV just because I've heard such good things about it and my twins are pretty used to MFW now. I don't know if we'll go to ECC after that or jump to HOD Bigger. Then there is my 5 year old. I'm not sure if it would be better to try to combine her with the twins or not. We could not do that with HOD most likely but could with MFW. I had planned on combining my 2 youngest children but my youngest is extremely delayed so combining the 5 and 7 year olds makes the most sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) Hi Melissa, No advice....just :grouphug:. I don't think you'll know about HOD unless you try. This isn't an easy decision for you and I understand the struggle. Edited January 6, 2012 by abrightmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 for the limited value it is worth... I used MFW EX1850 with 5th and 2nd graders. The supplement worked for us. It was there to do more in US history when the weeks were otherwise heavier in world history in the main program. So that way my 2nd grader got more US history and some read alouds for her. She still had lots from book basket. And she used the "plan B" Bible while older used "plan A". The then 2nd grader (who is now in 7th and doing EX 1850 again) still did all of the state study, and Presidents study, and enjoyed her set of read alouds. It was special to her. I noticed that everything that was in MFW's ADV program in history was also in EX1850 (or finished up in 1850MOD). everyone is different of course. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissamomof5 Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 abrightmom - I recognize your username from pming with me a little while back. Thank you again for your help. :) What is WTM/SWB and FLL? Thank you so much for all the replies so quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 abrightmom - I recognize your username from pming with me a little while back. Thank you again for your help. :) What is WTM/SWB and FLL? Thank you so much for all the replies so quickly! WTM/SWB = The Well Trained Mind/Susan Wise Bauer This means that I want to use her writing plan laid out in her book The Well Trained Mind. It is also more clearly outlined in her AWESOME writing lectures available for purchase on Peace Hill Press' website. Highly recommended. FLL = First Language Lessons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissamomof5 Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 WTM/SWB = The Well Trained Mind/Susan Wise Bauer This means that I want to use her writing plan laid out in her book The Well Trained Mind. It is also more clearly outlined in her AWESOME writing lectures available for purchase on Peace Hill Press' website. Highly recommended. FLL = First Language Lessons Ahh, I see. Thank you! I have heard of WTM before and actually had a copy of FLL but sold it. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyWImom Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 HOD is great, but have you considered that you will be doing American history again if you do Beyond or Bigger? Which isn't a bad thing, if you dc enjoy it. Are your 8 & 9 year olds similar in skill level? If so, you could have them both in Beyond or Bigger, and your 6 year old in LHFHG. I think when you are trying to decide which guide for your 2 older dc, you need to know how much writing & narration they are used to. Personally, even though your oldest will be 10, I would advise having her do Bigger with the extensions, along with your 8 year old. I am going to be doing the same thing with my 2 dc. I have the Preparing guide, but don't think she would be able to handle all of the writing or narration. And if I go a little lighter with my 8 year old, that's okay with me. I just think if you did 3 guides just starting with HOD, you might be overwhelmed. We are able to do this, because I don't use HOD's LA. I am using FLL & WWE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissamomof5 Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 HOD is great, but have you considered that you will be doing American history again if you do Beyond or Bigger? Which isn't a bad thing, if you dc enjoy it. Are your 8 & 9 year olds similar in skill level? If so, you could have them both in Beyond or Bigger, and your 6 year old in LHFHG. I think when you are trying to decide which guide for your 2 older dc, you need to know how much writing & narration they are used to. Personally, even though your oldest will be 10, I would advise having her do Bigger with the extensions, along with your 8 year old. I am going to be doing the same thing with my 2 dc. I have the Preparing guide, but don't think she would be able to handle all of the writing or narration. And if I go a little lighter with my 8 year old, that's okay with me. I just think if you did 3 guides just starting with HOD, you might be overwhelmed. We are able to do this, because I don't use HOD's LA. I am using FLL & WWE. Yes, I had thought about that, but my oldest is the only one who has done Adventures, and she probably doesn't remember much from it :tongue_smilie:. I am thinking about combining them in Bigger and seeing how that goes. Just not sure what the future would look like for the 2nd daughter when she runs out of guides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyWImom Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Yes, I had thought about that, but my oldest is the only one who has done Adventures, and she probably doesn't remember much from it :tongue_smilie:. I am thinking about combining them in Bigger and seeing how that goes. Just not sure what the future would look like for the 2nd daughter when she runs out of guides? Probably not too wise of me, but I don't think that far ahead.:D If I am able to actually get through one curriculum in a year, I'm pleased. But they are always adding new guides, and who knows how you'll feel by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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