The Homeschool Minute ~ Hal & Melanie Young

But one of the best things about a conference is the opportunity to seek out experts and leaders in the area where you have the most questions. How often do you have to chance to bring your personal questions to your favorite authors and speakers, and get personal advice? How many people do you know who have the breadth of knowledge and experience to advise you on curriculum, learning disabilities, or special interests, as your typical homeschool vendor?

So make the most of the opportunity!

Bring your most pressing questions to the conference. Think ahead of time what advice you really need: curriculum, raising boys, homeschooling high school, or whatever you need.

Look over the list of speakers and workshops and mark the most interesting ones.A big conference can be overwhelming once you arrive, and you don’t want to miss a special session in the busyness of the day.

Don’t be shy! Most speakers are delighted to answer questions. Your concerns are important to them, and helping people like you is the main reason they come. The kind of questions we hear helps us decide what workshops to plan for the future, too.

Choose the best time. Speakers are usually free to talk immediately after a workshop or when they’re in their booth. If you see them in the hallway between  sessions, though, please understand if they can’t stop to talk right then–many speakers give five or six presentations in a two-day event, and they are likely on their way to one when you see them in the crowd. A smile and a thank you are always welcome, but ask if it’s a good time before launching a question.

Do support vendors and speakers at the event. Everyone knows you may not be ready to buy that book or program at the event, and if you need more time to think about it, no one minds. But do keep in mind that if you have made the decision, your choice to save $1.50 by ordering from an online bookstore may actually be a $10 difference to the writer or publisher standing in front of you. Most are working hard to support their families and your purchases keep them coming back to conventions!

We’re already on the road traveling to this season’s conventions. Please come up and introduce yourself if you see us at one. We love to meet our readers! See you there …

Yours in the battle,

Hal & Melanie

So many of you have asked us to put together a downloadable version of our Mom & Dad Special (a Raising Real Men book for Mom and an audiobook for Dad) that we have finally got it done! Head over here to download it now!

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