Keeping kids together or running multiple cores in Sonlight??

[staceyobu]

I am considering using sonlight or bookshark next year.  I would not use their LA.  I'm considering putting my oldest in Core E and my middle two in Core A.  Then, my youngest would be alone.  I am alternately considering trying to run a core with my older two (about 2..5 years apart in age) and my younger two (3 years apart in age).  

 

Any thoughts on what the better option would be?  How does it work to have your kid ahead a core or behind a core?  I would probably do B/C with my older two next year and D/E the year after that.  That would put my second kid in Core F as a fourth grader.  Is that workable?  (We've covered most books in Core D this year, so I'd sorta like to skip that one).  My older two are both strong readers and enjoy read alouds.

 

 

[PentecostalMom]

I think I would go with the first plan unless the 6yo turns 7 very soon.  I am going to have the opposite dilemma.  My 8yo (turned last month) will be alone and I am trying to decide which of the youngers to combine.  I think it is going to be the middle two and then the baby will be alone when she gets old enough. 

 

You can go to the Sonlight Forums and post in the "Choosing Sonight" forum.  The ladies there are years of experience.  Their advice has been invaluable.

[SebastianCat]

Many moms on the SL forum would not recommend combining children more than 2 years apart in age. Could your oldest do a core, then combine the middle two? It might not be a problem to combine the 9 & 6 year olds if your 6 year old is a strong reader with good comprehension, but I agree that you'll get good advice on the SL forum if you ask there.

 

I haven't done core F yet but am pre-reading it this year to begin with my DD in the fall. She'll be in 5th grade and I plan to stretch it over 2 years for her. I think a 4th grader could handle many of the books, but some of the content would be too mature for that age and the research would be a challenge.

[staceyobu]

I haven't done core F yet but am pre-reading it this year to begin with my DD in the fall. She'll be in 5th grade and I plan to stretch it over 2 years for her. I think a 4th grader could handle many of the books, but some of the content would be too mature for that age and the research would be a challenge.

 

Why are you taking two years with it?  Difficulty?  Amount of work?

[MerryAtHope]

I like the idea of 9 alone, 6 & 4 together, 1 alone (or with another sibling, should another come along). 

 

I think 2 years apart is pretty easy to combine, but 3 would be tougher (still possible though). And by the time your 1 yo is ready for school, your 9 yo will likely be doing cores independently anyway. 

 

Have fun!

[staceyobu]

I like the idea of 9 alone, 6 & 4 together, 1 alone (or with another sibling, should another come along). 

 

I think 2 years apart is pretty easy to combine, but 3 would be tougher (still possible though). And by the time your 1 yo is ready for school, your 9 yo will likely be doing cores independently anyway. 

 

Have fun!

 

Haven't you used sonlight for awhile?  Have you used cores on track?  Behind?  Ahead?

[Julie of KY]

I agree with Merry. I've used SL for 10 years now and with four kids. As my kids get into middle/high school, I tend to pick and choose. I just finished core 1 (whatever letter it is now) for the last time.

[staceyobu]

I agree with Merry. I've used SL for 10 years now and with four kids. As my kids get into middle/high school, I tend to pick and choose. I just finished core 1 (whatever letter it is now) for the last time.

 

Wait, explain this a little more!  Pick and choose how?

[Julie of KY]

Wait, explain this a little more! Pick and choose how?

Sorry to be vague. In the elementary years, I use the core completely as written. I always dreamed that I'd keep using cores as written into high school. However, as my kids get older, I tend to pick and choose which books I use. Sometimes we like a different history spine better. Sometimes my kids have already read some of this literature. My oldest is a voracious reader, my second doesn't want to read as much. I don't feel like I have to make him read all of the books.

 

My oldest did the cores alone sometimes with his brother two years younger listening. My next two were combined in cores so I was doing two cores. My fourth is now going through the cores. I read everything to my little one and then pick a family read- aloud to be doing. Sometimes the family book is more geared to my older kids so I might not make everyone listen.

 

I watched my kids grow and then adapted to meet their needs. It's hard to plan what will be the best for your kids in the future.

[MerryAtHope]

Haven't you used sonlight for awhile?  Have you used cores on track?  Behind?  Ahead?

 

Yes, since 2000, when I bought the Pre-K core (back when there was only 1 Pre-K core and it had no IG! and I liked it that way! in my best "older than dirt" voice!)

 

We've used Pre-K through F mostly as is, plus G (combined with MOH over 2 years with some other books), part of H (with MOH 3 and other books), 100, and parts of 200 and 400.

 

I agree with Merry. I've used SL for 10 years now and with four kids. As my kids get into middle/high school, I tend to pick and choose. I just finished core 1 (whatever letter it is now) for the last time.

 

Yes, I pick and choose too. Like Julie, sometimes I like a different history spine or have a different goal in mind, and I choose books from SL based on our goals. Sonlight likes to pack in the books, and I like more time to enjoy and digest and live with the characters, themes, and ideas. In the early years, I used the SL schedule as written. Then I realized that was too boxy for us. I really like their 1-page guide that lists all of the books in order of introduction by week, and for a few years I mainly used that. I occasionally consulted the daily schedule if I wanted to see how something was scheduled. But the more I used the 1-page version, the more I realized...I LIKE deciding for myself what's enough. I liked spreading some of SL's early cores over 2 years, giving us time to read favorite books of mine from childhood, or time to go on nature walks, field trips, bake round holidays, follow interests...without feeling bound to a schedule. As my kids got older, we did have more structure--but times of not as much (such as now...it's science fair time, and my dd is engrossed in that, and no way would I tell her she has to stop and complete all the check-marks on our schedule!)

 

Anyway, several years ago (Core G) I stopped getting the SL IG, and started making my own 1-page guide to follow, and using the books we were interested in. It's been good for us. I guess I'm Sonlight-eclectic now!

 

Reading aloud has always been one of the cornerstones of our homeschooling though...and I thank SL for years and years of great books, great conversations, and great memories with my kids.

[armom]

I don't know that I have a lot of great advise or would be considered a seasoned Sonlighter.  We have used SL for 3 years and will continue to use it again next year.  The first year I started I talked at length with a long time user of SL and suggested just buying one Core and using for it for all my kids, but after taking advise from several people on the forums I chose to use two cores.  I enjoyed the first two years while using two separate cores for my 3 kids (13, 13, and 9), but was overwhelmed with the amount of reading I was having to do.  My kids often listened in on the others school books anyway.   I decided to combine this year and have had great success, and plan on combining again next year.  The year after that my older ones will be in Coree 100 and will do it independantly.   Looking back, I wish I would have taken the first advise given to me and combined from the start.  We of course do their own grade level work in every other subject except bible, history and science.  I expect different amount of work for each child but we are covering the same material. 

 

Like the other ladies have stated, we now use SL a little differently than we started.  I somtimes skip books here and there and substitute/add books as I find appropriate.  I still use the IG as a GUIDE not a mandatory schedule. 

[LindaOz]

My kids are all in different cores except for 11 and 9yo who are combined. Combining is awesome but doesn't always work if the youngest is not really keeping up. I combined my older two when they were young but should have separated my 3rd when she started so she was at her own level - it took me a long time to repair that mistake. It can depend on the child though I guess.