What would you do?

[Christy]

We'll be starting our new year on the 13th and I'll have two in BY (ages 11 and 8) and two in FIAR (ages 7 and 5.5). Our 5.5 yod has listened in on some of the FIAR stories in the past, and our 7 yos... well, he's been doing FIAR for a few years now but there are still some books we've NEVER rowed (unavailability), plus there's some I rowed with our oldest that I never got around to with the boys.

Our 7yos is more on the maturity level of his 5.5 yos in a lot of things than his 8 yob and I'm not sure he'll be ready for BY next year at age 8. But, then again, he might 'grow up' a lot this next year, who knows.

So my question is, I'd really like to start 5.5 yod with Vol. 1 and go in order, but 7yos has rowed most of those books and there are others he hasn't done yet, some out of each Vol. 1-3 (he's done all of 4). I don't want him to 'miss out' on those wonderful books before he's ready to move onto BY, yet, I love the idea of starting out fresh with Vol. 1 with 5.5 yod. I don't know, just something about the start of a new school year, especially with a 'new' student and rowing Ping and Lentil and Madeline, etc.

Does this make any sense? What would you do? Start out with Vol. 1 for 5.5yod's sake or skip around and make sure 7 yos gets to enjoy the ones he's missed so far?

[Kendra AU]

Christy (my mom spells her name the exact same way!),

If you feel led to go through in order, that's what I'd do. I always feel really INTO the row when I go in the direction I feel led. Being really "into" it yourself helps the kids pick up on the excitement. While your older FIAR son might have all ready rowed many of those books, I bet he LOVED some of them, and there's probably some things you might not have covered?

With my kids we started in volume one doing Ping first, it seemed like a very logical place to start, plus we owned the book. My kids fell head over heels in love with school, as if they didn't all ready love learning. Everything for MONTHS was China this and China that. My eldest couldn't wait to speak to an uncle he'd never had the chance to talk to before all because this uncle had been to the great wall of China. This same uncle even sent ds a photo of uncle on the wall. So my son says, "Wow, what did you see on the other side of that wall?" Apparently this was his burning question, which made some of us giggle. When his uncle said, "Well Mate, I looked over and I have to be honest, all I saw was more trees and more wall!" My, then five year old, turns and says, "Mom, I don't think he paid good enough attention!" :roflol:

Despite all this, I mentioned we might row Ping again this year, and he looked at me and said, "Who's Ping?" ?!?!?!?!?! Dh looked at him and said, "How on earth can you forget who Ping is? All you talked about for months was Ping!" :lol:

So I say go with what you want, because the kids will gladly follow if you're excited about it. I know a few times I couldn't decide which to do and ended up going in a way I wasn't entirely convinced I should. I wasn't as psyched about it and, maybe it was just me, but I don't think the kids were as into it either.

Kendra

[Candace C]

Christy,

I haven't been in your shoes yet...but I am planning to re-row things in 2-3 years myself.

I think if I were you I'd just go ahead and do volume 1 with both of the younger kids. I would start with the "fun" ones you want to do. Then, as the year progresses, I would be sure to add in the books your 7 year old hasn't done it. You can start out "in order" with volume 1, but then add in a few books here and there with both of them, from the ones that you didn't get in with 7yr old yet. Am I making sense?

Also, there are some books that I have already done 2 years in a row - like Cranberry Thanksgiving, which I hope to do every year! And I have had plenty to do each year and have made it "new" each time.

Anyway, I think that's what I'd do...

[Wende]

Unless your 7yo is very resistant to the re-rows, I would go in order as your heart leads you. Mine always enjoyed the re-rows, and learned something new each and every time. :-)

[Paige P]

Christy,

I haven't been in your shoes yet.....
I think if I were you I'd just go ahead and do volume 1 with both of the younger kids. I would start with the "fun" ones you want to do. Then, as the year progresses, I would be sure to add in the books your 7 year old hasn't done it. You can start out "in order" with volume 1, but then add in a few books here and there with both of them, from the ones that you didn't get in with 7yr old yet. Am I making sense?


I 2nd Candace's opinion. I'd start w/Vol. 1 and the re-rows and then delve into the books you haven't rowed yet. You'll see the boys' reactions to the books then and may see better what will *work* and what won't work.

Good luck!