“I’m just a toddler and preschool mom, why should I go to a convention?” “My kids are so young, I don’t need to go yet.” Sound familiar? I felt the same way, but I bit the bullet anyway.
I have never been so grateful to step out of my comfort zone. After Teach Them Diligently, I had a renewed sense of the why and how, and a renewed sense of strength from being reminded that this homeschool journey is anchored in God’s will for our family.
I attended Teach Them Diligently last year as a tot mom and a convention newbie. I was scared of really diving in to homeschool. After a year of our “new” normal with lots of therapy and diet changes and learning how to help Mr. T learn, I was already burned out. I needed to be refueled/encouraged/strengthened/comforted. I got all that and more! I saw a few friends, like sweet Rebecca from Mom’s Mustard Seeds, and was blessed by amazing speakers like Ken Ham, Heidi St. John, Rachel Carman, and Sally Clarkson. There was a sense of community and family I have never felt at any other gathering this size. There were smiles and kids and noise and warmth.
With so many topics to choose there is (almost) no end to the wisdom you can glean at a homeschool convention. From preschool to special needs to courting to teaching multiple ages; there are so many topics you can ease your worries about just by listening to veteran homeschool parents. It is a blessing to have the knowledge that someone just like you has already been down your road. Especially when you are just starting out.
The vendor hall can be overwhelming, but it is also a great place to begin planning and learning about all different methods and subjects and to find some really neat supplemental resources. I was able to look through curriculum I had heard about but didn’t want to purchase without seeing. I was able to meet a lot of the people behind products I was interested in or knew we would be using.
If you are considering a trip to a homeschool convention, especially a Teach Them Diligently convention, and your only reason for not going is that your children are young, please reconsider! All us mamas are in need of fellowship and community and this is a wonderful place to get it!
Be sure to look for us if you are attending in Nashville this year!
I have never attended any homeschool convention before. There isn’t any convention here. It is very hard for people to get gathered in an organised event. when there is an event.
Adeline, I imagine that must be very difficult! I’m so glad more online options are becoming available for everyone who can’t get to a convention for travel or monetary reasons! Thank you for stopping by!
I also attended homeschool conferences when my kids were super little, and it helped me to make wise decisions once we started homeschooling. It’s always better to have more information, going in, so that you can plan how you want to homeschool your kids.
Thanks for stopping by, Susan! It’s great to hear from a more experienced homeschool mom about this. It was definitely an experience that changed some of the ideas I had before attending. Great point!