Some of you have noticed that I skipped over talking about the conference itself, as in the workshops and speakers. I did that deliberately, because I am not quite sure how to express my thoughts on the speaker. First, I must say that my husband and I are the managers of the Cafe in the church where it was held (our church home), so we were quite busy with that for most of the time. I was able to attend the first general session and the last general session, and I made it to one workshop.
The speakers were Rick and Marilyn Boyer, homeschooling parents of 14. They have a website, The Learning Parent. I was really looking forward to hearing the originally scheduled speaker, Chris Klicka, senior attorney for HSLDA. We just joined HSLDA for the very first time in our 11 year homeschooling life, and I was interested in hearing what he had to say. Instead, we have been asked to keep him in prayer, because he was in a car accident and between that and his health issues, he is in dire straits at this point. It is the very first time he has ever had to cancel a speaking engagement, so please keep him in prayer.
I didn’t get to hear much from the Boyers, since I missed most of the sessions. I don’t agree entirely with their mindset on certain things, and some of what he had to say REALLY upset my daughter and her friend, requiring some intense Mom-time afterward to help them filter it and sort out what he MEANT, as opposed to what their 16 & 17 year old minds HEARD. I attended Marilyn’s workshop on Getting it all Done, and that was interesting! I don’t have 14 kids, but I do balance five much of the time, and it can be challenging. I’m glad that, of all the workshops, I went to hers. She gave a lot of useful information for moms like me, who sometimes just take on too much and need to keep the right mindset. It boils down to the fact that homeschooling is first about your relationship with your kids, and their relationship with Christ. Everything beyond that is great, but if that foundation isn’t laid and maintained, the rest will not mean a whole lot. It’s a perspective I had to re-learn the hard way, when we abruptly ended our homeschooling journey last year. I am so thankful that we are able to begin again, keeping the Lord in focus and the outside activities in their proper places.
I am thankful for the reminders that the Boyers instilled once again. I may not agree with them on everything, but the heart of homeschooling is the home, and every home educating Momma needs to keep that in mind!
Momma’s Talk