Spring 2017

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F or many men, hearing his wife utter the words
“Will you go shopping with me?” is the ultimate mo-
ment of “everything I have feared has come upon me.”
We all know that the male gender does not enjoy shopping
as a rule. We view shopping as a necessary evil, along the lines
of a guerilla military strike: get in, complete the conquest, and
get out fast!
Should a visit to the homeschool convention be such a dread-
ful prospect? Husbands and Dads, as you consider the upcom-
ing Homeschool Iowa convention this June 1-3, let me put it in
a new perspective for you: this isn’t just shopping! This is one of
your best possible investments of two and a half days, to give
shape to your family’s plans for teaching the children at home.
This is where you can translate your whole philosophy of why
you homeschool into practical steps. Best of all, those practical
steps can be ones of your own creative making! Because if you
make good use of these two days, it could transform your entire
upcoming school year into the most pleasant and satisfying one
you’ve ever had. So put your feelings about shopping aside, and
go with her!
While at the convention, resist those temptations to
linger at the snack bar, go back to the hotel, or look for the near-
est break room with a TV (yes, we know you’re missing “the
big game”), or, most of all, those temptations to get your wife
to “hurry it up.” You’re underestimating the blessings to be
found here. Let me explain a few ways you could approach the
convention, which will make you look forward to it and not just
endure it.
FIND A SUBJECT YOU CAN TEACH THE CHILDREN!
Yes, that’s a personal “you!” Among all the subjects that can be
taught in the homeschool curriculum, have you considered be-
fore: is there one that you could teach? And in so doing, you
would lift that part of the job off your wife’s shoulders, and bear
it yourself! Hey, you’ve been looking for ways to “connect” with
the kids more anyway! Here’s one of your best possible routes:
be the teacher for one of their subjects.
Teach what you love! Have you always been drawn to
reading history? Then, find a curriculum or book with
which you can teach it, at the convention. Does your mind
just gravitate towards the order and system or logic?
Then turn that into an opportunity to teach your children a logic
course. Or how about you join the children in taking a stab at
learning Latin or Spanish?
“YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?!
SHOP THE CONVENTION WITH YOU?!”
By Dennis Gundersen
“…THE ULTIMATE MOMENT OF
“EVERYTHING I HAVE FEARED HAS COME UPON ME.”