NICHE--Top 10 Reasons to Attend

My favorite yearly home school conference is right around the corner--the NICHE conference!  Whether or not you home school, there are so many good reasons to go!

1. The Speakers
Todd Wilson, in particular, is one of my favorite speakers.  He was at the first conference I went to--the one where I was determined to find reasons why homeschooling would NOT work for us.  But his sessions were so encouraging, I reconsidered my mission. I remember thinking my other stay-at-home-mom friends should hear him speak too!

2. Exploring Vendor Hall
Being able to get my hands on the different curriculum options really helps me decide if they're a good fit for my children.  I love getting all of my curriculum ordered and not worrying about it all summer. There are amazing resources everywhere you turn--for families who are actively homeschooling or those who just love educational toys, games, books and projects; from preschool age through high school; for individuals or families--there is something for everyone!

3. Feeling Encouraged and Refreshed at the end of a Long Year
May is a time when I often feel drained and burned out.  But being around so many great speakers and workshop presenters, whose desire it is to build you up and re-energize you with new ideas, you can't help but feel encouraged!

4. The Workshops
There are sessions designed to help those just starting out, those with highschoolers, and families with special need students. There are great workshops about different learning styles and approaches to education.  And don't forget the sessions about family, time management, nutrition, and sessions geared specifically toward dads!

5. Meeting up with Friends for Lunch
I always enjoy catching up with friends there. A lot of our conversations revolve around things we've done over the past year that did or did not work, what workshops we've attended, and what new ideas we want to try in the coming year.

6. Finding a new Educational Toy/Game/Poster/Book/Science Experiment/etc.
I always seem to find something unexpected.  The Vendor Hall is so full of fun educational things!  I often feel like a kid in a candy shop!  (Nerdy?  Maybe.  But remember I was a teacher before I had kids.  I get excited about this sort of stuff!)

7. The Used Curriculum Sale
It's a great place to get a deal on curriculum for the coming year.  I also enjoy visiting with the sellers to find out how the items they're selling went over with their kids. 

8. Having my Husband get Excited about Working with our Kids too
The conference is a good place for my husband to get recharged about our "partnership" in educating our kids.  There are usually workshops that are geared specifically toward dads that remind them of just how important their roll is in the lives of their children.

9. Getting a Credit Toward Renewing my Teaching License
This is an added bonus for me.  Anyone with an IA teaching license can get a renewal credit just for doing what we love to do--explore, gather curriculum, attend workshops, and talk to others.

10. Getting my Questions Answered
Anytime I've had a homeschool-related question, I've always been able to find someone who could help me find the answers.  Whether it's been about how to find a home school group in my area, or needing clarification about state requirements, I've always been able to find someone with the expertise to help.

I once swore that I would never home school.  Five years ago I went to my first conference determined to find reasons for why it wouldn't work for my family.  But I came home not only thinking this might be a good fit for our family, but also encouraged enough to feel like I could handle the challenge!  This really is a great conference, and I would say any parent with school-aged children would absolutely find something of value at NICHE. Hope to see you there!