Homeschool Conferences – and why we love them! – MBFLP 277

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

With the world full of resources available online, you can develop your philosophy, order your materials, and start homeschooling without ever meeting another parent-educator. That’s a blessing in many ways, especially if you live in a rural area or a foreign culture. But sometimes we think we’ve found what we need when we join the right group on Facebook and know which bloggers we want to follow and which website we like to order from. You may have found part of it, but there’s more!

 

God tells His people, in Hebrews 10:25, that we must not forsake gathering together. That command didn’t change when our grandparents heard Billy Sunday on the radio or Billy Graham on TV – those were great resources, but they weren’t substitutes for real-life people. We need more than information, we need interaction.

Homeschooling is not church, but it definitely involves spiritual warfare. It’s important to find a flesh-and-blood network to support your homeschooling and provide you with opportunities to help others, too. We’re big fans of local support groups, for just that reason.

But conventions add another dimension – the sheer energy of being in a hall with hundreds, or even thousands, of people walking the same path you’re on. You might have different plans or destinations for your students – college, career, military, home – but you’ve all set out on the path marked “Home Education,” which is one of life’s greatest adventures. And it’s exciting to meet travelers on the same road.

Don’t be shy about talking with other families. You have one little boy, and they’ve got four? Ask them how it works. They have a teenaged daughter and yours is a few years younger? Ask if they have any insights for the next step. You notice they’ve bought a curriculum you’re considering? Strike up a conversation.

Don’t be shy about authors and speakers, either. Most of us speakers are teachers and counselors at heart. We want to reach out and help people.  We expect to meet lots of folk whose opening words are, “I have a problem …” or “I was wondering …” That’s what we’re here for. And conventions are the place where you can actually get one-on-one interaction with the people who write the books and curriculum.

You can bless them, too. We love our readers who buy from the big online bookstores, too. But did you know that when you save a dollar online, the author probably earns two dollars less? If you can, please buy directly from the author or the publisher whenever you can. That helps them pay the bills so they write the next book or curriculum you’re looking forward to!

And don’t forget the people who put on the convention. Most conventions are organized by volunteers, and the proceeds support the year-round services they provide – monitoring the legislature, training support group leaders, answering questions from new homeschoolers, and talking with skeptical reporters. They’re working to promote and defend your freedom to homeschool. Let’s pitch in and support them, too!

(This article first appeared in The Homeschool Minute, a publication of The Old Schoolhouse magazine)

UPCOMING EVENTS

We’ll be speaking at four major conferences in the coming weeks:

Be sure to stop by our booth and say hi!

Lessons Learned from the Road – GHC Greenville Conference

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Lessons Learned from the Road from GHC Greenville - The Real Kathy LeeLast week was the first conference of the season and I was reminded why it is so important to get out there on the road and share my message of play and imperfect motherhood. In addition to sharing my heart, I get the pleasure of knowing some amazing people. I got to catch up with Dr. Kathy Koch (I even used this great book of hers as a reference in one of my talks). She understands the mind of children and how to teach to their gifts and levels.

 

I also got the chance to briefly hear about the rockstar, Sam Smith. He was soooo busy signing autographs and meeting his fans that I had to stand in line to say hello. J  It was great hearing about his success and seeing his new book and Merch!

Speaking of new merch, we introduced some at our booth!! We rolled out a new booth set up, new t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, mugs, our summer curriculum presale and the promise of an amazing planner. We have quite a bit going on for us at The Homegrown Preschooler.

 

This week we are in Ft. Worth TX! Looking forward to catching up with more friends, including the Somerville Family with Tapestry of Grace. Make sure to tune in to the show to hear what they have been up to with the business and with their beautiful family!

Blessings!

Say YES and have a great week!!!

Thanks for listening. If you have topics you would like for me to discuss or people you would like to hear from, let me know. Just email me at kathy@thehomegrownpreschooler.com or shoot me a message on social media.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my podcast and leave a review on iTunes!!!

Thank you to The Homegrown Preschooler for sponsoring this Podcast! Check out the blog post Kathy mentioned, Farmhouse Schoolhouse, to read more about A Year of Playing Skillfully.

Also, to thank you for listening, you can receive a 10% discount on any purchase at

The Homegrown Preschooler by using the code, THEREALKATHYLEE.

 

 


Special Thanks to our Network Sponsor!

 

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Q and A from the Road: The Woodlands

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Questions from Texas Listeners for the Real Kathy Lee, in the Woodlands

During a recent trip to Texas, I had the pleasure of attending Morning in the Mud with Keri, speaking and sharing A Year of Playing Skillfully at the THSC conference in The Woodlands, meeting and receiving a makeover from the adorable Cuore, and several late night podcast recordings in the hotel room with Jamie and Arlene.

We thought our final podcast topic should come from the fine folks of Texas. We had some great questions and thought you might like to hear our great answers. 😉

  1. This is our second year doing A Year of Playing Skillfully. Do we need to add anything to the curriculum or just go deeper with the topics?
  2. What can I do to help my active two year-old stay busy indoors in Michigan during the LONG winters?
  3. Does A Year of Playing Skillfully cover Language Arts and what do you think about a Whole Language Approach?
  4. What do you do when your child seems to be enjoying all aspects of learning and out of the blue decides to push it away and resist?

Wow, these were all great questions and I loved having two seasoned mommas with me to answer them. You will want to tune in to hear our thoughts and opinions!

Next week, I am talking with Holly Giles from http://www.thegilesfrontier.com. Holly shares how her son’s brain injury helped her learn to school out of the box! Don’t miss it!

You’ve got this!

 

Find a way to #sayyes today.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my podcast and leave a review on iTunes!!!

Thank you to The Homegrown Preschooler for sponsoring this Podcast! Check out the blog post Kathy mentioned, Farmhouse Schoolhouse, to read more about A Year of Playing Skillfully.

Also, to thank you for listening, you can receive a 10% discount on any purchase at

The Homegrown Preschooler by using the code, THEREALKATHYLEE.

 

MBFLP – How To Get The Most From Conventions

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

So you’re going to a homeschool convention, but you’ve heard stories (and warnings) from friends – some are so big, they’re overwhelming. There’s so much walking! And what will you do with the kids? This episode, we talk about practical ways to get the most enjoyment, encouragement, and help from any homeschool convention.

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Recorded in our mobile studio at the Dreamland Drive-In in Tuscaloosa, Alabama!