Homeschool Convention

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend at a homeschool convention.

Convention is this fabulous weekend-long event, filled with seminars, information tables, and curriculum vendors....all of them there to encourage & support homeschooling.

I will admit that I went to my first Homeschool Convention an entire year before Jersey #1 was in kindergarten. We were not even an "official" homeschool yet, but I was excited to attend convention. I had been forewarned that the curriculum vendor wing would be overwhelming. There are zillions of wonderful curriculum, and every vendor is excited to share why their product is so great. That first year, I made a point to window shop only, and not purchase any curriculum until I knew full well what we wanted to use. Now, I take advantage of the free shipping and discount offers available for curriculum ordered at Convention. This year, the A Beka rep even gave me an ink pen and a reusable shopping bag when I placed my order. I teased that their gifts were actually intended for advertising!

My favorite part of Convention is the seminars. I love to attend seminars. It is totally my thing to sit in an auditorium and listen to an entertaining speaker who encourages and inspires, and makes me think. A meal, an entertaining speaker, and a chance to discuss it afterward is my idea of a good time. Some of my favorite dates (before kids) with The Referee included dinner and tickets to see a comedian perform. Some of my favorite dates (after kids) with The Referee include ordering pizza and watching an entertaining speaker on DVD.

Homeschool convention doesn't include food. But, it certainly brings incredible speakers for seminars. Every couple hours, there is a choice among 5 or 6 different speakers. I fill the bulk of my time at convention going from one seminar room to another. Even though the main topic of each seminar has something to do with homeschooling....and is very directed at a homeschool family audience....I find that their encouragement branches into other areas of my life also. One year, a common theme of the seminars I attended pertained to strengthening marriage, which was very helpful. One year, a common theme was encouragement that homeschooling works, and the kids do well. This year, I was surprised to see the common theme for the seminars I attended to involve organizing time to reduce busy-ness. I certainly need to improve in that area.

I come home from convention each day, so uplifted that I feel as thought I am walking in the clouds. I usually want to talk really fast and share all my new thoughts and ideas with The Referee. This year, he was sick in bed for most of the weekend, so he was a captive audience (so to speak), LOL!

I took some time to browse the vendor tables more this year too. I am ready to branch out into some other curriculum options for some subjects, and was eager to ask questions and learn more. I am wanting to try History and Science in "unit study" style, teaching all of our children the same units at the same time. I also want an additional math curriculum for Jersey #2. I found one that will give her some independence to forge along at her math whiz pace. I received a ton of great information.

One of the seminar speakers gave a handout with a list of books that she recommended reading. This excited me too, because it gives me a direction to go for more books to read on subjects that pertain to me right now.

I was almost too busy to even sign up to attend convention this year. Considering how encouraged I feel after attending, I am so grateful that I went. I am hoping to use this momentum to make a few "improvements" in our homeschool, and in our home in general.