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View Full Version : How do you decide what to save for younger siblings?


one l michele
02-24-2009, 10:58 AM
I'm not a pack rat, so having materials on the shelf we aren't currently using or are not sure I will use again bugs me.

Also, since my kids are so close in age, I'm finding that after teaching that age range for to my older two, I want/need something new to re-energize me/school for my youngest. Also since my middler kind of catches a bit from the oldest and youngest, I had to repeat content subjects.

Then you have those items you try with your test child (dc #1), wasn't a good fit for that ds, but your other children have totally different learning styles, so maybe it may be the thing for them.

But then I have a lot of funds tied up in "maybe" stuff.

How do you decide? Some examples: I have 4 levels of Sonlight readers with guides. My oldest has finished, my middler is halfway through the third, and I don't see myself being "as strict" with my youngest having him use the guide or read every single book. I have three Sonlight cores with guides on my shelf, again, I don't see myself using the guide or doing it cover to cover like I did the first time around. I have a 4 year science program which we really enjoyed, but again, I don't see myself wanting to repeat it so soon. Perhaps I would be more eager to if my kids were spaced further apart. I have three spelling programs and 4 writing programs. Then things like health & art which my older two have completed. My youngest is totally different from my older two. He is quite a tigger and has had his own developmental timeline across the board. I think his needs are totally different, if not special. He's had PT, ST, and consultations, but was determined to simply have his own pace.

How do you determine what you save and what you don't?

Cadam
02-24-2009, 11:28 AM
Anything that didn't work for my oldest I keep because it will probably be perfect for dd! :lol:

I keep things I think I will use again. So far that consists of an extra Latin program (if I don't use it next year for dd I will sell it), all the levels of our math program and my unit study packages because I am and will use them all again. I am totally not a curriculum hopper so I don't have a bunch of unused stuff.

AudreyTN
02-24-2009, 01:50 PM
I'm learning this the hard way. I've already "re" bought items that I owned for my dd8.

I still don't have an answer, but I have a harder time selling things now.

Narrow Gate Academy
02-24-2009, 02:41 PM
My kids are more spaced out than yours. Basically, I research hard to find the best program before I buy so we don't have a lot of extra. Most good curriculum can be adapted to use with different learning styles simply by me changing the way I present the material. So far math, grammar, and spelling are on their second round. Phonics is on its third time. If I really didn't like a program or couldn't adapt it so that we could use it then I would sell it. Otherwise, I don't currently have any duplicate programs so I'm keeping basically everything.

In your list, I would keep the Sonlight readers and guides, and the science program for the youngest. Cut back on the spelling and writing programs. The art and health, I'd ask if you like them, were they worthwhile, and could you see the younger one using them.

HTH

JudoMom
02-24-2009, 02:54 PM
I don't buy a lot of extras, but I end up with some things that just don't work or just didn't get used.

My criteria for keeping things are if I liked teaching the curriculum and if we actually used it. If I didn't like it or if we didn't use it then I sell it. Sometimes it's hard (because often I really like the stuff we didn't use), but it just doesn't make sense to keep the stuff that we didn't use because the chances of me using it later are slim.