It is SUMMER! Also known as homeschool planning season! All the homeschool parents are getting ready for the next school year and everyone has a checklist (even if its just a mental one) with homeschool “to do’s” pertaining to one or all of the following areas… curriculum, encouragement, problems that need to be addressed and areas that are going well. If only there was a place you could go to get help with all of those things. Hmmm… THERE IS GUYS!!! It is called a Homeschool Convention!
I have been going to the Texas Homeschool Coalition’s Called to Teach Convention for many years. My mom would take me as a student and now I go as a homeschool mom. I seriously look forward to it every year. If you can’t make it the the THSC convention or live in another state do a simple google search and find a convention in your area. Often, your state organization will host this kind of event. There are also (thanks to COVID) some great virtual conferences available. Nothing beats an in person experience but the next best thing is virtual.
One of the comments I hear about why people don’t attend a convention is because it seems overwhelming. I get it. If you are new to homeschooling or feel unprepared, even a small list of speakers and exhibitors can seem like too much to handle. A little preparation can go a long way to making this easier. Here are a few tips…
- Make it a priority. This is personal and professional development for homeschool parents. If you don’t plan to attend, you won’t. There are always things that will come up that seem more important.
- Make sure childcare is covered. Whether it is a babysitter at home or the children’s program at your convention- be sure you have a plan for your kids. This will allow you to relax and enjoy rather than feeling like you have to wrangle kids all day.
- Make it special. Maybe its an annual girls trip, a couples homeschool getaway, or just you all by yourself having alone time where no one tells you what to do and you can just BE (I see you moms with littles). Make this time a little bit special if you can. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. I know budgets can be tight. Even just staying one night at a hotel, buying yourself one of your favorite drinks, or meeting with friends can make all the difference to your enjoyment.
- Do a little planning. No worries all you non-planners, I said “a little”. To help with this part I have created a Convention Road Map (see below). You can get this Road Map as a BONUS resource when you register for Convention.
Taking the time to think about our homeschool before we start planning and buying for the new year is crucial. Pausing to evaluate and assess can save you a lot of time, frustration and money. We know we need to do it but sometimes it seems too difficult. That is why I helped create this Convention Road Map to make the whole process a little bit easier. This Road Map will not only help you at convention, it will give you a head start on your homeschool planning.
All you need to start is a print version of your Convention Road Map, a writing utensil, and a few minutes. You can take as little or as long as you want but like most planning, the more time you put into it, the more you get out of it. I decided to work on my Road Map during nap time. The first section is all about what you are already doing in your homeschool. This is best done BEFORE you head to convention.
The next part is all about discovery. Part of this should be done before convention and part of this will be something you fill out during convention. It is helpful to look at the convention schedule when filling out what speakers you might want to hear. You can purchase talks you want to listen to later or many conventions provide a virtual option as well so you can listen later. Like I said, there is nothing like taking the time to physically be present but listening later has its advantages too (like eating popcorn while you take notes).
The last part (not pictured) of the Road Map is all about direction. This section helps you take everything you have learned and put it all together into one vision. My hope is that you will be blessed by convention but also that this resource will bless your homeschool. No homeschool is the same. No family is the same. No children are the same. But God is the same yesterday, today and forever and He has great things in store for you and your family as you start this next year. I would love to see you at this 2021 Convention.
If you sign up for the New to Homeschool Seminar on Thursday you can see me in the Homeschool Panel. I would love to meet you and answer your questions or pray with you as you start the weekend. Be sure and say hi!
-Thara
