PARENTING & HOMESCHOOL CONVENTION

Boy Meets Girl. What Now?!
So you kind of like this girl. Or you think he’s cute. NOW WHAT? Marriage is a wonderful blessing from God, but the path to the altar often seems covered with broken glass – at least that’s what the bloody feet of many couples would indicate! Getting back to God’s foundational principles, Daniel shares insights and admonitions with his peers from personal experience based on his recent marriage and having grown up in the homeschool/courtship movement.

Five Secrets for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
The Word of God gives us a number of fundamental keys to personal growth and true success in life. In scripture, we are taught that the basics of entrepreneurialism – responsibility, initiative and ownership – are important for young people who are just beginning to make their way in life. In this session, you will learn five powerful, yet practical, keys to developing as an entrepreneur as you gain an understanding of why they are essential and how you can implement them.

Recordkeeping & Organization for High School: Simplifying the Process
Keeping good records doesn’t have to be a time-consuming burden—it actually saves you time and effort in the long run! In this workshop, you’ll learn how—and when—to track your student’s progress through high school.

SPECIAL EVENT – Mom’s Night Out with Kristi Clover & LaNissir James
Join us for a fun and uplifting evening just for moms. Kristi & LaNissir have years of experience but are also still in the midst of homeschooling, so they will minister to you with laughter and truth and encouragement. There will be fellowship and giveaways and games and maybe even some chocolate!

So we can create a true time of refreshment for all the moms, dads and kids can head to our Dads & Kids Game Night. If you’re here alone with your kids, we have some dads and teens who will be available to watch your kids. Non-mobile nursing infants are welcome to stay with mom.

We hope you enjoy this special Mother’s Day gift for you.

Answering Tough Questions
Here’s your chance to ask renowned apologist Sean McDowell questions about the many tough topics we are facing today and how to teach our children to be discerning and navigate through them. From science to new cultural “norms” to love and relationships, bring your questions about any and all topics you might want to tackle! (Note: Mature topics will be discussed, so parents use discretion if your children are attending with you.)

Cancel Culture: Clarity for Christians
What is cancel culture? And why do we find ourselves in a culture in which both Christians and non-Christians are so quick to “cancel” others? In this talk, Sean carefully defines cancel culture, discusses what societal factors contribute to its rise, and then gives practical strategies for how Christians can respond biblically.

True for You, But Not True for Me
Don’t we live in a “post-truth” culture that cares more about feelings than facts? People often say, “That may be your truth, but it’s not mine,” as if truth changes based upon what we believe about it or how we feel. In this session, we will consider why truth is vital, learn how to properly define it, examine objections against its knowability and existence, and grasp the powerful implications of truth for our daily lives.

Keeping Your Marriage Healthy Throughout the Seasons of Homeschooling
Homeschooling is more than just an educational choice, it’s a lifestyle. Each season brings new challenges that can deeply affect the marriage relationship. Parents sometimes sacrifice a healthy marriage on the altar of homeschooling without even realizing it. Darryl and Durenda have been married 34 years and homeschooled all eight of their children. They purposed to keep their marriage strong and are now enjoying the fruit of those efforts. They will share how they made their marriage a priority through each of the seasons.

Nurturing Sibling Relationships
Most of us didn’t factor into the equation just how much sibling conflict would be part of our homeschooling days! It can be exhausting! As homeschooling parents, we have a unique opportunity to nurture sibling relationships among our children. Find out practical ways to do this and what an IMPORTANT part of our homeschooling it really is!

Unhurried Homeschooling (K-2nd Grade)
Did you know that you’ve been “educating” your child for 5 years already? YOU are the “expert” when it comes to YOUR child and YOU will be able to tell when he/she is ready to start. We will talk about simple ways to recognize when your child is ready to experiment with reading, writing, and basic math! Most of all, you will be encouraged to RELAX and enjoy this season of early learning and quiet the voices that want to put unnecessary pressure on you and your littles!

Boy-Schooling
Have you ever had a war break out in the middle of history or read aloud to a child sitting upside down? You may be teaching a boy! Understanding how boys learn can help preserve the love of learning and academic confidence of our sons, as well as make us better homeschool parents. Come hear from parents who’ve homeschooled six boys and graduated four so far, as they share solid research and practical advice on how to turn wiggle worms into scholars – and enjoy doing it!

No Longer Little
The turmoil of the tween years between nine and thirteen usually catches parents by surprise. Diligent students become addled and distracted. Kids raised in church start questioning the existence of God. Sweet children seem to climb on an emotional rollercoaster – and then invite you to join them. Don’t get a ticket for that ride! Instead, learn to resist the temptation to lose it yourself and shepherd your children through this challenging age at this funny and all-too-real workshop – and lay a foundation for great teen years!

Parenting in a Gender-Confused World
Preteens and teens crave connection and acceptance, while media of all kinds are telling them that “identifying” differently will solve all their problems. Even kids not tempted by these things are affected by the kids and culture around them, sometimes believing their parents are hateful or unloving in their response to that culture. Learn about the influences reaching out to our kids, how to respond in a way that will preserve your relationship, and practical helps in guiding them through the clamoring voices of our society.

When School is Harder Than It Ought to Be
What do you do when you know your child is bright, but school is way harder than it ought to be? We’ve been there! This encouraging session discusses how to keep hope alive in both you and your child, to adapt your homeschooling to the child in front of you, to help them through the possible social embarrassment of being a struggling learner, to know when and how to get help, and how this trial can ultimately bless your child. Get hope for the future!

Your Family’s Communication Culture
“My teens are so disrespectful.” “They’re so ugly to each other.” “I wish we could just talk.” We hear these things all the time. It’s easy to get into a cycle of communicating badly, but it doesn’t have to be that way! The Word of God gives us a lot of practical advice about communicating with one another. Come learn how to turn that advice into action, change your family culture for the better, improve your other relationships, and laugh a little, too.

Affordable Homeschooling
with Caleb Schroeder
Homeschooling on a single income in Southern California might sound like an impossibility. Yes, there are sacrifices that need to be made when living on a single income in a state where the cost of living is so high, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. This practical seminar will focus on some of the ins and outs of supporting a homeschool family of eight on a single income.

Affordable Homeschooling
with Leah Schroeder
Homeschooling on a single income in Southern California might sound like an impossibility. Yes, there are sacrifices that need to be made when living on a single income in a state where the cost of living is so high, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. This practical seminar will focus on some of the ins and outs of supporting a homeschool family of eight on a single income.

Homeschooling Free From Fear
The right choice can be the wrong choice if it is based on the wrong reasons. This session will address the “right” reasons for homeschooling.

Integrating Dad Into Homeschool
This session will explicate the essential roles that dads can play in homeschooling. It will focus on the essential diversity that two parents working together can bring to their child’s education and encourage dads to take part and not sit back. It will offer practical advice for how a dad can insert himself effectively into the homeschool environment.

How to Pursue True Leisure
An introduction to a Christian view of leisure in the classical sense: pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty for their own sakes, because we are created to pursue them. The lecture discusses habits that lead to true leisure and its relationship to our pursuit of God.

What Kind of Homeschooler Are You?
This session will provide a brief overview of and popular curriculum choices associated with some of the more common approaches to homeschooling including the Traditional approach, Classical education, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, University Model, Unit Studies, Eclectic, and Unschooling.

Foundations for the Elementary Years
How much time should I be spending “in school” with my 1st grader? What subjects do I need to include in Kindergarten? How do I get my kids to see me as the teacher? These are common questions parents wonder about in the first few years of homeschooling. We will cover these questions and much more as we discuss some foundational principles related to homeschooling early elementary-aged students.

Enjoying the Early Years
The early years of a child’s life are such a precious gift. They are years full of wonder, curiosity, joy, passion, and discoveries. Our culture can be so focused on comparing, academic achievements, and formulaic child rearing, that the gifts of these early years can be lost. Christa will encourage parents to rest in the beauty of these days and witness the miraculous growth that God is doing in the hearts and minds of the young ones in their home.

Get Outside!
Time outside with our children is so much greater than physical education, a picnic, nature journaling, or a break. Through time spent beyond the walls of a house, children’s minds and hearts are opened in fresh new ways. Christa has lived through the high-stress moments inside with her own six children and experienced the melting away of tension by being outside. As she shares the gifts of being outdoors, you will leave excited to get outside with your children!

Seven Study Skills Strategies
You know your teens should pursue excellence in their studies. How do you keep them motivated when even some of their homeschooled peers have settled for mediocrity? Learn how you can help your students achieve success—perhaps in ways you would not expect.

God & Economics
The Bible contains 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 on faith, but more than 2,000 on money and possessions. Our children’s view towards economics matters! Because we are born into a material world, the material can capture our attention, cause worry and anxiety, and distract us from pursuing what really counts. Let’s talk about how we can help our children learn to have a biblically balanced view of the material world in which we live.