Running Multiple Guides

How do you run three different programs and take care of a little one?  Wouldn't it be easier to do one thing for history, science, and Bible?

These are common questions people ask.  And honestly, it isn't always easy running three guides with an active little guy!  But it is doable, and honestly, it might be easier than combining for some things!

How do we do it?  Well, in the early guides (before Bigger), I focus on the basics (math, phonics/reading, and handwriting).  Then we add in history reading, devotional, and storytime.  These are what we aim to complete daily.  The rest of the guides are icing on the cake!  We never focus on the memorization in the HOD guides since they all have Awana and a verse for church already.  We normally read the HOD verses a few times each unit, but it isn't a focus for us.  Cutting out those things keeps things doable. And since they often join in on science and fun things the oldest does, I am not worried about those missed boxes.

Second, I try to keep the oldest going in her guide while I work with the other two.  While I read to one of the middle kids, she does something independently.  Now that she is starting CtC, it is even easier because she has more she can do without me.  In Bigger and Preparing, there were less things she could do completely independently.  But the more she could get done while I was working with someone else, the better!

Third, the middle two are often charged with playing and occupying the youngest.  They can take him outside or to his room or to the family room (if the oldest is working in there) and play with him.  I some times give them permission to use a tablet or phone to help entertain him (baby piano or songs on Starfall are their two options).  When he is about 2, I might allow them to do a show with him to keep him content while I read to others.  It isn't always easy to keep him busy, but I aim for 15 minutes away from him at a time right now.  That is normally enough time to do a box with another child.

When the little guy is napping, we try to make the most of the time!  He currently takes two naps, one to two hours each.  I can get a lot of reading to the kids and them reading to me done during the naps.  I personally like to leave the afternoon nap time as "me" time, but often it is a catch up time as well.

Finally, we take lots of breaks!  They go outside together and play.  They play with Legos or board games inside.  My oldest gets breaks to read for fun.  Without the breaks, their attitudes fall apart.  But with the breaks, normally we get school done without too much fussing!

Here is a basic schedule for our day when we were running LHFHG, Beyond, and Preparing(yet now two days are the same):
8am - big kids do math
9am - do history (and devotional) with #3, #1 does an independent subject.
9:30am - do history and devotional/Bible with #2, #1 done an independent subject
10am - do history with #1, #3 does XtraMath or handwriting
11am - do storytime with #3, #1 does independent item, and #2 does XtraMath or copywork
11:30am - do storytime with #2, #1 does something independent if she has anything left
12pm - do storytime with #1, #2 and #3 do XtraMath or handwriting/copywork
1pm - phonics/reading for #3
1:20pm - phonics/reading for #2
1:40pm - DITHOR for #1
2pm - grammar for #1
2:30pm - spelling for #2 and dictation for #1

That puts us done by 3, which is about right.  Most things take less than 30 minutes, so there is lots of free time worked in.  Some things actually don't even take 15 minutes! On days we are really with it and motivated, we are done by 1.  But those are few and far between.