It’s almost that time again! Book Fair Season is about to be upon us!

Book fairs and conventions continue to be in a state of flux. Perhaps the face of homeschooling is changing due to homeschoolers deciding that it's more economical to just stay home and order online. And when you add into the mix that more local stores carry homeschooling materials, sometimes one can wonder if a book fair or convention has a purpose anymore. Or if one should even attend one nearby. I don’t think they will ever become completely extinct. I certainly hope not! They most definitely serve a purpose!

For anyone who needs a “shot in the arm,” conventions are just the ticket. Walk into a space that holds another 1,000 people (or more… or even less—just 500+/- for those smaller venues) and you can feel the energy. It does not matter how long you’ve homeschooled; having that many “like-minded” individuals around you does give a boost. You suddenly feel you are no longer “all alone” at home plodding thru those math lessons along with your student. Then you have the other benefit—being able to touch, handle, and read materials that aren’t available to you thru your local store, and which are only 2-dimensional photographs on a website. Being able to handle and investigate the materials for yourself can really help you make a decision if it’s the right material for your home. Being able to sit and listen to authors and program creators can help you, esp. when they linger after their session so you can ask specific questions about your own situation. At the same vendor table, you can find either another customer or the vendor themselves who is dealing with the same problems as you are. You find friends you never knew before (and whom you can meet year after year at the book fair). There is an innate camaraderie found in both the workshop rooms and the exhibit hall. In passing you can hear someone wondering if this material will work for them—and you have the opportunity to say, “I have used that before and I love it!” as you pass. (Or tell them that you have tried to use it and it didn’t work for you.) It’s going that second mile and realizing you are not in this homeschooling journey alone.

I promote attendees to buy as much as possible what they need from vendors at the conventions & book fairs. There are a lot of “little guys” out there (like me) who have to pay not only to have a booth, but to even speak in a vendor workshop—so that perspective buyers can find out more information on their products and ask questions. Yes, you might find cheaper prices elsewhere, but by supporting vendors at the book fairs, you are helping them help you, as well as the new homeschoolers who are following in your footsteps. They are there to help you. Most of them give convention specials to help you. Either way, they are there to be supportive of you, and many of them see this as a ministry. By buying your materials from them, you encourage them to continue to be a tangible help to those who need it. By supporting them with your hard-earned dollars, you support the homeschooling community. I do understand tight belts and having to make hard decisions on what you can buy! There are times when I know that buying from a discount house, or online can be the only way you can even think about homeschooling. If this is where you are, I understand—I’ve been there! If you can, put aside something, anything, and spend it at your next book fair. Be sure to support the vendor who spends time with you, answering questions and directing you to material that you come to rely on. Every transaction helps and you’re sowing seed into the lives of other homeschoolers. It’s a good thing!

One other thought for those who are homeschooling only one student:

Consider contacting the organizers of the book fair/convention in your area. If they provide “Fellowships” for those in special circumstances (minorities, families with twins or triplets, etc.), ask them if they would provide a fellowship for those who homeschool only one student. There really are a lot of us out there and even if you’re asked to head it, it can be so very edifying for everyone who attends. If you’re no speaker, introduce yourself and open the floor to find out where people live, their situation, their questions and current problems. You don’t have to have “all the answers,” but by allowing those attending to speak up and give their own perspectives on those questions and problems, everyone will benefit from the discussion.

It’s not just a case of having an “only” child, but there are plenty of us out there, too. I have also found that grandparents homeschooling a grandchild continues to be a growing phenomenon. They need to be able to find each other and providing a fellowship will help them, as well as the single parent and the homeschooling parents who are now faced with only one student and find that it is different and they are challenged to even continue on this road. You can also request me as a workshop speaker. Send them to my website. I’m not quite a “keynote” speaker yet (in my own mind), but if I can come, I will.

The season of Book Fairs and Conventions is around the corner! Be sure to see if you can go to one either near or far. You won’t be disappointed! 

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling this year. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One five years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.