Streamlining Story of the World

I've used the history curriculum "Story of the World" for several years.  This delightful curriculum has brought us from the early days of human history through, so far, the early European settlement of North America.

For several years, our older girls and I would sit down down a few days a week and they would listen while I read from the Story of the World book.  I bought the associated activity books and the girls would color while I read, and then we would sometimes do map work.  I really enjoyed these times as I could comment on the history we were reading about, and we often had fascinating discussions.  I am minor history buff and learned a lot with them.

But time has become extremely precious around here, and my times with the girls dwindled down to one or 2 days a week at the end of the last school year.  This year, Kevin and I talked and decided we should buy the Story of the World CD's where the husband of the book author narrates the book. 

Now while I am doing Five in a Row with our boys, our big girls are in another room listening to the SOTW on CD.  Then later, the boys listen to another set of SOTW CD's, as they are starting at the beginning of book 1 and the girls are in the middle of book 3.

So, this works. Well. I am a little sad I don't have infinite time to read the books out loud myself, but I'm having to accept that shortcuts like these are wise.  The kids are learning and I have more time.  Definitely a good decision.