Well, it’s almost that time of year again…
No, not March Madness. Not tax time, either.
It’s hard to believe, but the annual homeschool convention season is here! That hallowed time when twelve passenger vans fill convention-center parking lots. When the sweet aroma of crock-pot meals wafts down hotel corridors. Not to mention the sea of children who look like they need haircuts talking about Minecraft and their most recent field trip to ‘The Ark Encounter.’
One of my favorite parts, though? The people-watching. Specifically watching other homeschool dads. And you see it all – from attentive dads with flawlessly-pressed, pleated khakis and perfectly parted hair to dudes who look totally lost, uninterested, and seem to be hanging on to their sanity by a thread. It really is exquisite.
Seriously, though, as the season draws closer – I want to encourage every homeschool dad who has managed to read this far with this…
You won’t regret it if you make it a priority to partner with your wife and go to a homeschool convention this spring.
The time that Meg (my bride) and I spend at the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville is one of my favorite times of the year. The sessions are fantastic, without a doubt. The keynote speakers are awesome. The men’s breakfasts and evening events for the ladies are rad, for sure. For us, though, TTD’s value goes well beyond the sum of its parts. Those few days, surrounded by other homeschool moms and dads, creates a space for us to remind ourselves why we chose this road. It gives us the time to work as a team to cast a vision for the year ahead. And, without fail, we have a blast together – every single year.
So – let me challenge you to be on your wife’s team. Use homeschool convention season to renew your partnership. Work together, engage with your children, and make this next leg of the journey as fun and impactful as possible.
If you can, find a place for your arrows to go for a few days. Use the time for you and your lady-friend to recharge, reconnect, and refine the vision you have for the future of your family. Then, reemerge as a united front to continue the fight.
If you can’t swing a place for the kiddos – sit down ahead of time and ask how you can help her make the most of those few days. Make it as easy as you can for her to relax and be a sponge for 72 hours. Deal with the headaches, change the diapers, and no matter what – don’t complain about it. Pro-tip: spend the money to buy the digital recordings of the conference and then listen to the sessions that were most impactful to her.
And – remember that you aren’t alone. There are legions of other homeschool dads here in the fight, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you at this very moment. We need you, and I’d bet that you need us, too. So, don’t be disengaged or uninterested. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Be a leader worth following. Your wife and the children that the Lord has entrusted you with deserve it.
Lastly – If you happen to make it to TTD Nashville and see a dude with a shaved head in the vendor hall having a great time with his smoking-hot wife – please take a moment to say hello. I’d love to look you in the eye, shake your hand, and thank you for being one of the good ones.
Onward.
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