Since we are homeschooling two of our hooligans next year, my husband encouraged me to attend the homeschool convention because they have motivated me in the past. I was a little hesitant to go, but Miller Pads and Paper was going to be there. I love that booth. I also thought that I could pick up some of the curriculum that I needed.
Well, I have to say that I was a wee bit disappointed. I guess when you start out with the FPEA convention in Florida nothing else can compare. Oh, there were a lot of booths, but not much for sale. I did drop $50 at Miller Pads and Paper, but that was easy. There were 2 booths selling various homeschool books, but most everyone else was either selling themselves or just had one product to look at and then you could order. That wasn’t what I wanted. I already know what I am doing for next year and had a specific list in my hand. If I am going to order, I may as well do that at home. I guess it would be good if I was a new homeschooler and didn’t know what I was going to do, but I am not. I also am past the stage of buying side workbooks such as Wordly Wise and Critical Thinking books. I am not knocking those kinds of books, but when you are on a budget there isn’t money for that. Plus, they are kind of just busy work. Better for the younger grades, in my humble opinion.
It is kind of interesting to see how my homeschooling has changed. How it has changed since I began and after taking a year off. The awful question “Am I doing enough?” has been answered with a definitive “Yes!” I don’t find the need to purchase the extras anymore.
So, I wandered around awhile, and when I realized that there just wasn’t anything else I wanted to look at, I left. Besides, I was starving. And needed a coffee in a big. bad. way.
How the heck do bird droppings fit into this? Well, I had to stop at the store on my way home. I was in the store 5 minutes. 5. I came out and there were 3 big piles of bird droppings on my car. It was almost like the birds dive bombed and mistook my car for a toilet. I looked up to see if I was parked under a tree. Nope. I wasn’t even close to the building. They seriously took aim for my car, and it was a bulls-eye. I looked at the other cars. Nope, it was just mine. I am just lucky like that, I guess. I need to go play the lottery.
Oh my, the prophetic power of pigeon poo. You may have stumbled upon something there. lol
I love reading your thoughts on HSing. Isn’t it amazing what an “out of HSing” experience can do to strengthen our resolve and give us the boost that says, “yes, we can do this”? Our experience this past year has certainly given me that.
By: Sheri on June 20, 2009
at 6:14 pm
And while I’m hogging your comments….
I know what you mean about the big conventions. Virginia’s HEAV Convention is huge, probably much like Florida’s convention. Once you’ve had a taste of that, it is hard to be satisfied. We’ve been to the Memphis convention once in the past 4 years.
By: Sheri on June 20, 2009
at 6:16 pm
I suppose this doesn’t have anything to do with the conference, but it has been really interesting to me to read about your decision making process through all this… and how much knowledge you have about what works and what doesn’t. And after reading through your son’s curriculum for the coming year, it sounds like fun!
By: dutchgirl on June 21, 2009
at 4:08 am
I am just so happy to have my older, Lutheran, military, HOMESCHOOLING mentor back. *sniff*
(This next bit should be on your curriculum post, but I’m too lazy to click back over. Deal with it.
)
I think your boy will enjoy Traditional Logic because my boy does, and they seem to be cut from the same cloth. And it doesn’t take much time. TL 2 looks like it will take more of an effort, though – I’m still working out how we’ll do that. And I say shell out the cash for the MODG syllabus – it’s so nice to be able to say, “Just do what’s on the syllabus and leave me alone.” LOL
By: Melanie on June 22, 2009
at 12:04 am