HSing with 2 close in age?

[SouthPaw]

Still pondering education choices. With just 2, 18 months apart, would they be able to learn a lot of the same things esp. as they get older? Thinkin a relaxed type curriculum but not unschooling. Just trying to figure out if this will be a "pro" since I wouldn't have to bounce back and forth with separate history, science, etc. lessons/videos/books/curricula to keep track of... any thoughts or BTDT?

[Singingmom]

Mine are 2 yrs apart, and the only thing I separate them for is math. I love that! With everything else I can tailor my expectations a bit, like when we read something from history they may have different writing assignments about what we read, but we learn together. I call it a pro for sure. :)

[SouthPaw]

Hmmm! Very interesting. This may weigh very heavily on the HSing side for me. :think :yes

[wombmate3]

I am really interested in this thread, and I hope we hear more opinions! My first two are 18 months apart and we do many of the same phonics work (all we have been working on since the baby was born). Hannah is pretty bright and picks things up more quickly than Gabe, so she has little problem keeping up. I lean pretty hard to the unschooling side of things, so maybe that makes a difference? Time will tell I suppose!

[Singingmom]

One of the reasons it may work out so well for me is that my younger ds moves more quickly than his brother so the pace is pretty natural for us.

[blessedmama]

My two oldest are 16 months apart. Starting them out together, while perhaps possible, was not preferable for me. One reason was that my oldest child, a girl, was light years ahead of her younger brother both in motivation and in academic ability when they were aged 4 and 5. It seems to me (just speaking from my experience as an elementary school teacher and h/s-ing mom) that girls are generally more "school-oriented" than boys are in the primary years. They are, I believe, usually ahead of boys, especially in the language/reading department, and have better fine motor skills (which figures into handwriting). Boys tend to be better in math/spatial skills.

However....now that my two are in first and third grade, I do combine them for Bible, history, and science. Truth be told, my first grade boy could probably do the third grade math with his sister (he's in a second grade book now), but he's nowhere near her reading level in interest or ability. And I see no need to rush him ahead when he's having such a good time with his easy, fun math and reading books.

Having five kids, I'm going to have to find ways to combine certain ones if we're going to get it all done. :phew

[lenswyf]

Sounds like the perfect situation for Sonlight.

[jghomeschooler]

I think it is very doable- especially wiht certain subjects- literature (you reading aloud to them), history, science. As long as you remain aware of their different abilities and don't expect them to create the same quality of work (math, writing, reading). As a matter of fact, this is an option with the the Virtual Academy we used earlier this year, they even offered a middle ground science for my two- 12yo and 5yo! So that I would have a bit less to "teach". They really seem to rec. it for families where the kids are closer in age too. HTH

[musicmommy]

I have the three and they are 27 months apart and then 21 months apart. There are some curriculums out there with different levels of activities so that they are studying the same things, but doing age appropriate things. We do different levels of math and different spelling, but we are combined for Bible, history and science. My oldest is reading and my middle is just starting so while I'm doing some phonics work with the middle, then the older is reading to the younger. It's so much fun to see how they encourage each other on activities and also talk to each other about things they have learned.

[Nightingale]

My first two are 15 months apart and i've wondered this before too! Thanks for asking!!!

[Punkie]

I know a lot of moms on the Ambleside list start their kids in Year 1 together when they are that close in age. I've gone back and forth on what I'm going to do since I have 2 that are close and then another one that'll be almost 4 years behind. I guess we'll just have to make another baby soon so this next one will have someone to school with :lol