The Best Ever Homeschool Conference!

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Well, it seems like quilting and sewing are on hold this month what with farm happenings and homeschooling. I guess that has to happen every now and then 🙂

On Friday and Saturday I went to the Diana Waring “Living, Laughing, and Learning” conference. It took me a while to decide if I was going, and I am so thankful I did. It was just fantastic. Mostly it confirmed to me that what we are doing is fine. I know that over the years God has led us to a certain style of homeschooling, but sometimes the doubts come in. Especially as we have two high schoolers now… As I listened to Diana speak, I recognized so many things that were similar in our approaches. To me, homeschooling is a way of life, and that is what she was talking about. Making the most of each learning opportunity.

I enjoyed the topics on Friday since there was a specific one on teens and another one on History (which I love!). The common theme seemed to be – allow your children time to develop their interests. Is playing with Lego all day a valid part of school? Yes 🙂 Is letting Elizabeth raid my stash to make rag dolls part of school? Yes 🙂 The things the kids are passionate about now, may someday lead to a job later in life.

The other thing I picked up was that we are not in a race. Homeschooling is not a race! We don’t have to cram everything into their brains by a certain age. They don’t need to learn to read by 5, it’s ok if it takes them a few more years. We can let them take their time and learn things when they are ready to learn them, not what we think they should because someone has written a book that says they should know how to do this or that by this age.

Some quotes:

“We’re aiming for mastery, but we’re not in a hurry.”

“You are giving your children a gifted program everyday.”

“Stop trying to fit homeschool into a box.”

“Give them room to spend time on things they are really good at.”

“Got teens? Enjoy them!”

“You need to intentionally choose to enjoy the teen years.”

And oh so many more, but I’d better stop now!!! Yes I really did enjoy the conference! It was wonderful to meet like minded people and be encouraged to keep going with something that is seen as “strange” by most of the world.

And now… I need to tidy up the house… and look at the books I bought… and oh, get out of my pj’s first 🙂