7 Reasons Why All Christian Homeschool Moms Should Attend A Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Convention

We were about to finish our first year of homeschooling, and I felt like our inaugural year had gone pretty well. I definitely knew my children better; they seemed to have had a good time; we had almost finished our curriculum already; we shared a million experiences and laughs; and overall, I was pleased with the way things were going. So, when a friend of mine told me about a homeschool convention that was being offered in our town that next week, I really wondered why I should care.

She was pretty adamant that I needed to make my plans to go. She told me that for several years, she and her husband had traveled to NC and GA to attend conventions, because they believed they were so helpful for home educators and their families. I agreed to check it out– having no idea what I was even looking for.

The day the event started, the kids and I packed up the car and met daddy at the convention center, and I was able to go into my first ever homeschool event.

It was surprising! I left that weekend with a ton of reasons I would always want to attend a homeschool convention going forward. Let’s just look at 7 of them!

7 Reasons Why All Homeschool Moms Need to Attend a Homeschool Convention

1. Broaden Your Small View Of Homeschooling

When I walked into my first homeschool convention, the small view of home education I had held was broadened. I had access to information about different learning and teaching styles, different curriculums, different ways to spice up what we are doing, different organizational structures, and so much more. In one weekend, I learned new terms like unit study, notebooking, and a concept of educational freedom that I had never considered. A whole new world opened up before my very eyes, and I got incredibly excited!

2. Know You’re Not On This Journey Alone

The ranks of homeschoolers are growing every single day, but sometimes when we are going about our daily routine, it’s easy to think we’re the only ones. Being at a homeschool convention is a very clear reminder that not only are you not alone, but the people walking beside you on this road to invest everything you have into bettering the future for your children are super cool. The relationships made at Teach Them Diligently lead to deep friendships for many, because it’s amazing to get to hang out for a whole weekend with a tribe of people who understand you well.

3. Gain Confidence in your Call

 You are called to a mission– and it’s a grand one! God has called and gifted you specifically to teach your children diligently, and at a homeschool convention you will grow in your resolve to continue to follow that call as well as in your confidence that with God’s help you can indeed succeed at that mission. At the same time, you’ll find more clarity in the call God has given you as He brings into single focus all the little things you’ve been wondering about. You cannot put a price tag on the peace of mind and confidence gained at a homeschool convention.

4. Get insight and Information about all areas of homeschool family life from seasoned families and experts.

With more than 150 workshops to choose from on topics ranging from organization and specific homeschool teaching skills to parenting, marriage, and much more, attending a homeschool convention will give you the information and encouragement you need to do your job with excellence. At Teach Them Diligently, you can learn from incredibly popular speakers like Tim Tebow, Heidi St. John, Ken Ham, Ray Comfort, Linda Lacour Hobar, Israel Wayne, Todd Wilson, Hal and Melanie Young, Todd Friel, Kim Sorgius, and many others in the various workshops offered throughout the event. Sometimes, though, rubbing shoulders with other homeschool moms will teach you even more as you share stories, laughter, tears, and experiences.

5. Kick discouragement to the curb

One of the most common things that derail a homeschool mom’s homeschool efforts is discouragement. It’s hard to do what we do. There is not a lot of instant gratification to be found. Sometimes we get so buried in the weeds that we can hardly see above them at all. Attending a homeschool convention is a sure-fire way to overcome that discouragement and to find your way out of the weeds. At Teach Them Diligently, you’ll be reminded of the bigger picture and the WHY you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ll leave encouraged and empowered to go home, love your family, and eagerly jump into your daily routine with a renewed purpose and passion.

6. Encourage your love of learning and ignite your passion to succeed

Homeschool moms are generally lovers of learning. It is so awesome to be able to study new things now that you have the maturity to realize just how incredibly cool those things are. So sitting in continuing education classes for 3 days, learning about tips and methods for making your homeschool and family run better, how your children learn best, and more will spark a fire of learning that you may have forgotten you had. You’ll also find that you will leave so motivated to put all these new things to into action that you’ll have a renewed passion to succeed in what you have been called to do.

7. Look at a TON of resources

WOW! At my first convention, I walked around the exhibit hall seeing tons of new things, talking to new people, and exploring all kinds of ways I could better teach my children. I couldn’t wait to bring my kiddos back with me, so they could see it all as well. Having the ability to touch and feel curriculum, flip through the pages, talk to authors and experts about how those resources would work within your family structure is invaluable.

 

Those are all true, but, if you’re a Christian homeschool family looking to refine your vision, get encouraged, and get better equipped for the mission God has given you, you BELONG at Teach Them Diligently. 

Teach Them Diligently events are different by design.  It all comes down to the mission. Our mission is to equip Christian homeschool families to fulfill God’s calling within their homes and build up the Body of Christ. Our events are distinctly Christian, from the speakers to the exhibitors, all of whom are helping equip Christian families to stand strong and be prepared to do their job excellently. Not only is the teaching at Teach Them Diligently powerful, but the community you find there is second to none. Every person who attends both can tell you there is a marked difference in atmosphere and focus. We believe you would feel the same, and we would love to see you there. 

As we approach our events this spring in Round Rock, TX and Pigeon Forge, TN., I feel almost like I’m talking to me from all those years ago. I need to encourage you, as my friend did me, to join us at this amazing homeschool event. So, here I go…

Raise Your Hand…

  • Raise Your Hand if you ever get discouraged in your homeschool efforts.
  • Raise Your Hand if you believe there are ways you could improve your homeschool efforts.
  • Raise Your Hand if looking through homeschool resources is an exciting concept for you.
  • Raise Your Hand if talking to and spending time with homeschool veterans and experts in the fields of education and parenting would be valuable for you.
  • Raise Your Hand if you would like to have a clearer vision for why you’re on this path of home education in the first place.
  • Raise Your Hand if you’re weary of going against the flow, and a weekend of hanging out with “your tribe” and those that are going the same direction you are seems like a much needed respite.
  • Raise Your Hand if you love to learn.
  • Raise Your Hand if you could use a weekend where all of these things and more are readily available for you.

If you “Raised Your Hand” to any one of these things as I did all those years ago, you need to be at Teach Them Diligently this spring.

What can you expect if you do choose to join us? I’m glad you asked! 🙂

  • More than 100 workshops to choose from on topics ranging from organization and specific homeschool teaching skills to parenting, marriage, and much more! Multiple workshops each hour to give you the information and encouragement you need to do your job with excellence. Incredibly popular speakers like Chelsea Cameron, Todd Friel, Dr. Kathy Koch, Heidi St. John, Mark Hamby, Todd Wilson, Kirk Martin, Israel Wayne,  Hal and Melanie Young, Kim Sorgius, Tricia Goyer, and so many more will be presenting all three days.
  • An exhibit hall is full of resources and curriculum that you can physically look through and compare to find the absolute best choices for your family. Having many authors and experts onsite to help explain how to use their product is a great advantage to a live event.  (Even my teens get excited when they get to look through new curriculums!)
  • There are special offerings and opportunities for each member of the family, since homeschooling is intrinsically a family endeavor. A mom’s night, a men’s breakfast, a teen program, and a children’s program are all available should you choose to participate.  If you choose to all stay together, that’s great, too! Children are always welcome to join you in the sessions you attend, for Teach Them Diligently is the most family friendly event you will ever attend.

That doesn’t even scratch the surface of what you can expect, for some of the best benefits are found in simply rubbing shoulders with other home educating families and the encouragement found in not having to go against the flow for a full three days as you are surrounded by others who are actually going the same direction you are.

But, we’ll only be there for 3 days. I would HATE for you to miss it! Get your ticket today and start making your plans to join us.

 

Here's What Other Moms Said About Their Experience at Teach Them Diligently.

We have gone to both Teach Them Diligently and GHC. I started with GHC for 2 years and then went to a TTD event. I haven’t been back to a GHC since. TTD is just DIFFERENT. It is not just about education…it is about so much more. I would love to answer any specific questions you have about TTD, but I have made lifelong friends through TTD and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! ~Lynda W.

I have gone to Teach Them Diligently for years but twice now I have let the low price tag of GHC convince me to try it out. The first time I gave them the benefit of the doubt that maybe I had just chosen a smaller one and another would be better, but I tried their biggest one (at least it’s the biggest from what I’ve heard- Cincinnati) and it still just wasn’t the same. There are certainly good things about it- some great, big-name speakers, great vendors, etc.- but it doesn’t have the same feel. I love that TTD is unashamedly Christian. GHC does not have that feel. Some speakers mention God/ the Bible, but you don’t have many speakers leading the group in prayer, sessions about raising godly children, etc. Secondary to that is the number of sessions at GHC that seem to be just for the purpose of selling something. Those are the ones I usually walk out of pretty quickly. Time is precious at these conventions, and I don’t have time to listen to a commercial. ~Jenny F.

I have been to TTD multiple times and it’s been life changing. All the vendors are Christian and all the speakers are Christian. You don’t have to worry about stuff being hidden in any curriculum you buy there. It’s about so much more than homeschool. It’s marriage and parenting and spiritual growth-really involving the whole family. My kids even enjoy some of the speakers! Joining 365 was the best money I’ve ever spent. I’ve made so many amazing friends-some of my best friends I’ve made through TTD. The yearlong encouragement and Bible studies and community can’t be matched anywhere else. ~Cynthia R.

I’ve been to both Teach Them Diligently and GHC – TTD is by far our family’s favorite for its discipleship focus and community atmosphere. I know I can trust the speakers at TTD to be solid, Christian believers and always point to the heart of our homes being Christ. Even my kids prefer TTD. My boys did the teen track for just a few sessions the one time we attended a GHC, but they LOVE the teen program at TTD. It’s just different. We’ve made lifelong friendships across the country through TTD, and my experience at GHC was just disconnected. ~Stacy K. 

I have attended both conventions. While GHC has some great speakers, I care very much about listening to speakers who are basing their talks on the Bible. When I got to TTD, the message from all the speakers is to equip you to minister to your kids by discipling them and teaching them academics. When I went to GHC, several sessions missed the spiritual side of the equation because the speakers were not Christian. GHC also comes across to me as more business-like. TTD enables you and equips you to work on yourself spiritually and also to teach your children well. They do go hand in hand. So I would highly recommend Teach Them Diligently. ~Sarah L. 

TTD is about more than just home education. It’s about equipping patents to raise their children with a biblical worldview, raising up strong leaders and the community that I have found at TTD where we can all share our love for learning and becoming better parents is wonderful! Then there are all the extra things you can become part of I’d you desire to become a 365 member, where there are moms Retreats, and special Q&A events with speakers at conventions, monthly meetings with other moms just to have some adult conversation, just to name a few. I don’t know of any other place that offers all these things! ~Erma G.

I will echo all of these comments with how great Teach Them Diligently is! We’ve never attended any other homeschool conventions. What I do know is that our first TTD years ago amazed not only me, but my husband as well. He was on the fence about homeschooling, and it was my first year homeschooling our oldest, who was in kindergarten at the time. After leaving the convention, he was much more on board with homeschooling. At this point, we are 8 years in, and I’ve only missed one TTD conference. We both love going, and we gain so much! Sometimes we go to the same session, but most of the time he finds ones he knows he’s going to enjoy! We are both challenged and renewed over this weekend. I normally end up in tears too, both from laughing and crying. Every year the Holy Spirit just is very present at TTD.  ~Amanda M.
Teach Them Diligently is more than a homeschool convention. It is a conference for homeschooling families. It is a group of speakers plus a group of attendees all coming together alongside each other to edify and encourage one another in this monumental privilege of teaching this next generation to love God with all their hearts.
 
It is a lifeline for parents struggling to swim against the flow of this world. My favorite sessions over the years have been the ones on parenting, mentoring my children, etc. If this sounds like what you are looking for, you will not regret your choice to attend. You will get SO much more than just a convention on homeschooling! ~Laura W.