Convention time is coming soon and if you haven’t ever been before, you really should give it a try!  The Oklahoma City Homeschool Convention (OCHEC) is May 3-4 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

We decided to homeschool almost seven years ago and for one reason or another (namely our anniversary, babysitting, and a Bob Seger concert), I never attended a convention until last year.  Really, I was kind of scared to go.  I thought it would be overwhelming to see so many ideas and products and I was pretty sure I knew which direction I wanted to take, so I didn’t think there was much point in going.  It turns out I was wrong.  Aside from the fact that almost all of the meeting rooms were freezing, I had an amazing time last year and I am looking forward to this year—and I’m bringing a sweater, too.  So why is it a good idea to go?

• New Ideas:  If you’re new to homeschooling, this might be a little overwhelming, but if you don’t have much experience in this little world, you can get quite a crash course at the convention.  If you’ve been homeschooling a while, this is a chance to find some new ideas to get you ready to plan for the next year.
• Encouragement:  I think that many homeschoolers—myself included—tend to spend most of their time with other homeschoolers and it can be surprising sometimes to realize how small our community is, even if it is growing rapidly.  It’s nice to be with other people who get how wonderful this is and how hard this is and who don’t think you’re crazy for doing this.
• New Curriculum:  As a public school teacher I got the chance to vote for which textbook I liked every few years, but essentially they gave me something and that’s what I got, like it or not.  With homeschooling you have so many choices it can be intimidating.  The convention is a great chance to get to see some of the products you’ve been considering and talk with representatives from the companies.
• Shopping:  The vendor hall is full of great companies and many offer discounts when you shop at the convention.  I loved talking with Jan Bloom of BooksBloom last year (You HAVE to check out her booth!) and I am so excited that it looks like she will be giving some presentations this year.  I’m also looking forward to visiting the Greathall booth again and have my list ready!
• Downtime:  If you’re a homeschooling mom—especially if you have young children–you probably don’t have much time to yourself in your schedule.  This is a great chance to have some productive time away and enjoy yourself.

Early bird registration has already closed, but there is still time to register before prices go up again!