Convention Review

I just had a 3 day whirlwind at the Southeast Homeschool Convention.  It was amazing!  Seriously, though, my brain is on overload!  But, I am coming away with a wealth of information, encouraging insights and ideas, most of my curriculum, and a great new friend!  I'd say it was a successful weekend for sure.  :)

I thought I'd share a few highlights from the weekend that really spoke to me.  Day #1 was Homeschooling 101.  It was purely for the newbies.  I chose to go to Rebecca Powell's classes.  She was great!  She really just confirmed that what I am doing is the best thing for my child in this season of life.  She also gave me confidence that I can do this without royally messing her up.  And, she gave me some insights to discovering more about my child, her personality, and learning styles to educate her better.  Rebecca also provided some practical ideas, suggestions, and resources for the day to day scheduling and obstacles.

There were a couple of reoccurring statements throughout the conference in a number of workshops, so I think this was a strong indicator that I need to listen, take note, and take these things seriously.  First of all, we must devise a vision for our family - not just in the sense of home schooling, but also as a Christian family, a close family unit.  Secondly, home schooling is so much more than teaching facts and concepts.  It is about building character and strengthening the relationships with my children.   Thirdly, consistency is key.  My kids need structure and order.  Kids need to feel secure and they find that in routines and knowing what to expect.  It is up to me to see that that happens for them by planning ahead.

If I didn't learn anything except this, it is important to know that I am the one that sets the tone for my kids, their behavior, and their environment.  Kids model what they see.  If they see chaos and disorganization, that is what they will become. 

Another great speaker that I sat in on several of his workshops, was Kirk Martin with Celebrate Calm.  I realize that I do not always have the most calm attitude, kids, or home.  He kept it real, so to speak.  He made it very clear how my approach, reactions, and attitude directly effect my girls.  I can't expect them to change their behavior if I don't have myself in check.  Most outward behavior issues are really internal issues that need to be addressed.  We have to realize, too, that we can not control a human being, but we can teach them how to control themselves!

I went to another fun workshop by Monica Irvine from TheEtiquetteFactory.  I did not originally have this on my list of "have to attend".  But, I felt led to attend with my new friend.  It ended up being one of my favorites.  It was also my Not-Planned-To-Buy splurge for the weekend.  :)  I enjoyed the information so much that I stopped by her booth later to find a really cool electives curriculum for the girls.  I thought it would be something they'd really enjoy taking and there are some very practical lessons that need to be learned including:  Sincere Apologies, Magic Words, Cleaning Up, Table Manners, etc. 

In addition to all the great workshops, there was some pretty serious shopping going on.  I bought or ordered all of our curriculum for the year.  So exciting!  I can't wait for the last of it to be delivered in the next few days!  I'll share with you our choices in a later post.

I'm always amazed to see how God plans and works in my life - even with the smallest of details.  One sweet bonus I received from the convention was a new friend.  You can never have too many friends, but there are those that come into your life that you instantly know are orchestrated by God.  I am so grateful that God led Christy to sit next to me for that first class.  We instantly connected.  It's a little bit scary just how much we have in common!  By the end of the third day, I felt like I'd known her for years!  And, although we don't live super close to one another, I know that we'll make the time on this new journey of homeschooling together.