To Combine or Not

It was Laura's project.  She was to make a paper mache rattle.  Normally Laura looks forward to the new projects.  Occasionally, the projects are...well...sticky.  For Laura, sticky means icky.

I don't believe she is OCD.  One look at her cluttered bedroom would throw that notion out the window.  She has just always been a bit... particular.  She hates sticky things or gooey items.  She does fine with things like cookie dough, but nearly falls apart when she was taking pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin last month.

As you can tell in the photo, Laura was unhappy about the glue/newspaper combo.  Ironically, we have been known to skip projects if I don't have the supplies on hand or if I think it's just busy work.  She didn't ask to skip this one.  Maybe she underestimated the icky factor of the paper mache.  

About half-way through, Jasmine came to the rescue.  The opposite of Laura, she doesn't mind sticky projects at all.  In fact, the ickier the better.  She dived into the project with both hands, a smile on her face the entire time

.

It's at that moment that I had a small light bulb moment.  These girls need to be working together.  Yes, they are two grades apart.  They have their "own" levels.  But to have them  separate in everything is silly. 

We do some things together.  Bible time in the morning is done all together.  We are studying the Old Testament and we are working through the Who Is God book.  My two older girls are great together.  They help each other.  We have some amazing conversations together during Bible time. 

My mind can't help but wonder how they would do if I combined history as well.  Would it be a blessing?

I wondered briefly if Laura would be able to keep up.  Then I remembered that she is taking on high school Spanish and is successfully getting good grades. 

Laura will finish her current history level in a few weeks.  But, Jasmine is weeks into the next level.  Not sure if I should slow Jasmine down till Laura catches up, begin with Laura and review with Jasmine, or just skip the entire idea.  I'm praying.