Question about Rod and Staff English

Thank you for your responses.  I should have been more thorough in my question…I’m sorry!  

What I should have said was that we used the 2nd grade Hardback English Series with my oldest when she was in 3rd grade.  We were doing HOD and it was what was recommended.  There was so much tedious work, yes – but were doing JAG now that she is in 5th and I’m finding she knows most of this already!  Looking back I realize I could have used the Rod and Staff book more orally which would have helped her not to hate it so much.  But it really was a thorough program.  JAG is good, but it is very expensive for what it is IMO. 

So, with that said, I have two others coming up and I am wondering if the Rod and Staff was really that bad after all.  I am using PLL with my middle child – all orally, but I think he would benefit from something more black and white and to the point like Rod and Staff.  He hates the picture study parts of PLL, he hates the story retellings of PLL (he already narrates other subjects), and we don’t do the copywork or poem memorization because he gets that elsewhere.  

I guess I was just wondering if the “Climbing to Good English” series was maybe a bit less tediousness – maybe a lighter version of the Grammar series.

I also am thinking, maybe regretting, that I didn’t stick with the Rod and Staff grammar program – maybe orally in the earlier books and adding in writing later on for my oldest.  I think it would cover everything eventually, usage, mechanics and composition quite inexpensively.  

@missceegee – do you think Rod and Staff 5 is okay for a child to jump into?  What I mean is, can they handle it if they haven’t had much or any formal Grammar instruction?

Thank you!  One last question…  Do you think the Teacher’s guide is necessary?

I love these responses.  Thank you ladies for making me feel like what I think I need to be doing is actually okay!  I don’t know why I think I need permission sometimes, but I do!