Sticking with Heart of Dakota!

Choosing what curriculum to use with your children can be a process filled with great frustration.  The days of limited choices are gone.  In its place are options that can literally leave you overwhelmed.

While I had the money from our tax returns, I knew that I needed to purchase next year's homeschool curriculum for both Laura and Megan.   Despite the bills, I knew that I needed to take the stress of affording our materials out of the equation.  Megan keeps asking to do school like her big sis, so I knew that I needed to have a plan of action for her as well.

Earlier this year I rediscovered Charlotte Mason and the Heart of Dakota program.   I stumbled on a site that began to describe the Charlotte Mason style of learning.  It intrigued me and I began to read all I could.  Once I read the explanations of why Charlotte Mason did the things she did and how things like copywork and narration worked, it all made a lot more sense to me.

I dug out the Preparing Hearts for His Glory curriculum I had purchased for the previous year.  I had only gone through maybe half the program when I dropped it.  It wasn't clicking for either Laura or me, and I know I didn't give it a fair chance.  I had never really researched Charlotte Mason.  When you come from a public school background, doing things differently can be confusing and intimidating.

We have now been using Heart of Dakota's Preparing Hearts for His Glory for a few months.  We both truly love it!  I don't use everything they suggest at this time, but we are slowly switching to some of their recommendations one by one as I get more comfortable with the methods and program.  Best of all, nearly everything is non-consumable.  I won't have to repurchase everything for Megan when she gets this age.

There are cheaper programs than Heart of Dakota.  I looked at a few of them.  Many of them only seem cheaper until you get into buying all the needed books that aren't in the initial purchase price.  That happened to me a number of times as I was researching.  The program may cost $50 or $100 for history, but the added books cost several hundred more once you got them all off of a separate retailer like Amazon or Christian Book Distributors.  At least Heart of Dakota has all the books together that are required, usually with a discount if you buy a package.

Many programs are set up to use the library to save money.  I have trouble doing that, however.  I have often found it difficult to locate the needed books at my local libraries.  Small town libraries don't always have a generous selection, especially of Christian materials used by homeschoolers.  Even the books I do find are usually through inter-library loan.  The check out times are limited.  I find that I won't be able to keep the book as long as it is scheduled.

In comparing Heart of Dakota to other literature based programs, I have found that it is generally more affordable.  Plus, I really love the books.  I have had an issue or two with some of the selections chosen by other curriculum providers, including Christian ones.  I have previewed many of the books chosen by Heart of Dakota and find the selections are wonderful.  In the instance that we run into something that could be violent or graphic, the program warns the parent in the schedule and gives the option of omitting the information. 

I could have saved a little money by coming up with my own plans for school.  I seriously considered it due to our finances being so tight.  As I researched, though, I realized that the savings would be minimal.  The main costs of homeschooling for my home is the books of amazing literature.  That wouldn't change, even if I planned the curriculum myself.  Since the Heart of Dakota study guide has so many extras like built in poetry, great hands-on projects, dictation exercises, and corresponding Bible lessons, the savings just weren't there to plan this myself.  I would have to purchase these items separately.  Basically, I would spend all summer planning, not save money, and still not come up with a program even half as well put together. 

I spent hours reading reviews of all these different curriculum and comparing costs.  I prayed and prayed because once I bought,  finances would be too limited to purchase something different.  I kept all my options open, not wanting to lock into one thing blindly.  I've done that before with expensive consequences.  However, I kept being led back to Heart of Dakota.

Even my research into preschool programs led me to the gentle Little Hands to Heaven preschool program Heart of Dakota publishes.  At nearly four, I don't want some overly done program that is pushing academics on her.  I just want a Biblically based program with some fun activities to help teach Megan some beginning school lessons.  I don't want my four year old pressured.  And, at four, I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a program.  Heart of Dakota's program is very affordable for all the activities and lessons.  We do lots of reading aloud on our own, so buying a bunch of extra books at this age seems silly when I already have a bunch.

With our decisions made, Megan will begin Little Hands to Heaven in a couple weeks.  Laura will be doing Creation to Christ next school year.  I am content because I have the programs on the way.  There won't be stressing about whether I can afford to buy the next book we will need or whether it will arrive on time.  I won't be running to the library praying I can find a needed book or a suitable substitute because the books will be here.  I'll still use the library, but it will be to find books we can read aloud together here and there.

I'm excited about the choices I have made.  I will probably buy the main part of our school materials at tax time from now on, just to have them purchased and out of the way.  Living on one income is tough, especially in this economy.  Homeschooling is an added expense that has often left me stressed.  Yes, it was a little pricey to buy all at once.  However, I feel such a relief that I now don't have to worry and wonder how I will be able to afford the things we need.

I love the Biblical focus of Heart of Dakota.  Laura is in her Bible every day.  She looks up various scriptures all the time that correspond with her history and science studies.  We also have great discussions about the Bible study that is scheduled.  Overall, after having looked at so many other choices and options, I can see why Heart of Dakota receives such great reviews and is gaining in popularity.