Parents across the state and nation have had enough of the COVID-19 lockdowns and the cancellation of numerous conferences and other events. Thankfully, it looks like we are slowly getting back to normal. That said, some public school districts are still planning on limited in-person class time in the fall of 2021. Additionally, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health will also continue to require that students wear masks in schools.

But that’s not the worst of it.

Parents and grandparents have serious concerns about the deficiencies of public schools, including academic failings and the teaching of corrupt propaganda. Just this past month, state lawmakers mandated the teaching of “comprehensive” and “age appropriate” sex education that will begin in kindergarten. And in a sign of pure lunacy, state lawmakers overwhelming approved legislation to mandate taxpayer funding of menstrual hygiene products in all bathrooms in every government school building in Illinois. Yes, that includes boys’ bathrooms (4th grade and above).

The time has come to seriously explore Christ-centered educational opportunities for your children.

The annual Illinois Christian Home Educators’ conference is an excellent opportunity for parents and grandparents to explore the great option of homeschooling. A review of the event website (check it out for yourself here) reveals a broad lineup of speakers and subjects. Topics range from the practical to the inspirational to the philosophical. 

Kirk Smith, Executive Director of ICHE points out that “there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach with homeschooling. At the ICHE conference, you will be able to hear a variety of approaches and be able to tailor your school experience to what best fits your values and priorities as a family.”

The ICHE Family Conference will be taking place this weekend: June 3-6 at Olivet Nazarene University.

Homeschool veterans agree on the centrality of home education in passing on their faith and values. “Homeschooling is really an extension of parenting. It’s the opportunity to teach and disciple our children with a degree of intention unmatched by other options,” writes Jonathan Lewis. “So if you want to be a better homeschooler—or a better parent—be sure to check out the ICHE Family Conference!”

As a veteran homeschool father myself, I agree with Kirk Smith who acknowledges that “so many dads and moms want to do parenting right but lack examples and resources. The conference will give them both.” This conference has been a tremendous blessing to my wife and me. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

So if you want to be a better homeschooler—or a better parent—be sure to check out the ICHE Family Conference! Check it out HERE.

One of the unfortunate side effects of the corona virus pandemic has been the cancellation of numerous conferences and other events. With the benefits of technology, many of those events have been able to take place online. The full experience may not be the same, but at least we don’t have to miss out completely!

One such event my wife and I were planning to attend this year was the annual Family Conference hosted by Illinois Christian Home Educators. Aside from fond personal memories—the two of us met each other for the first time at the conference ten years ago—it’s a great opportunity to hear solid teaching, interact with other Christian families, and peruse curriculum and other resources.

This year, the ICHE board of directors made the decision to host the conference virtually. It may not be the same as the in-person event so many families have come to love, but it certainly has its advantages: no commute, no food or lodging expenses, and—thanks to the generosity of ICHE—no registration fee! (Registration is still required, but the cost is waived.)

The conference is much more than just a homeschool event. As Kirk Smith, Executive Director of ICHE shared with me, it’s “a marriage conference, family conference, parenting conference, biblical worldview conference, economic conference, spiritual renewal conference all rolled up into one.”

A review of the event website (check it out for yourself here) reveals a broad lineup of speakers and subjects. Topics range from the practical, to the inspirational, to the philosophical. Here’s a smattering of the presentations you can enjoy:

• Thoroughly Christian Education (Voddie Baucham)

• Time and Home Management: Managing Life and Home While Homeschooling (Nancy Bjorkman)

• When Motherhood Feels Too Hard (Kelly Crawford)

• Homeschool High School with Confidence (Cheri Frame)

• One Race, One Blood (Ken Ham)

• How to Spot Fake News (Carl Kerby)

• Homeschooling 101 (Jeff Lewis)

• Three Things Every Young Christian Artist Must Know (Dan Lietha)

• The 5 Flavors of Homeschooling (Sonya Shafer)

• Preparing Our Children to Navigate the LGBTQ Movement in Truth and Love (Elizabeth Urbanowicz)

• Motivating the Reluctant Learner (Krisa Winn)

• And many, many more!

With schools closed down for the past couple of months, many moms and dads have become unexpected homeschoolers. If that describes you, and if you’re considering homeschooling long term (I highly recommend it!), this event could be a great way to learn more about how homeschooling works in a more traditional context. Of course, as Kirk Smith points out, “There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach with homeschooling. At the ICHE conference, you will be able to hear a variety of approaches and be able to tailor your school experience for what best fits your values and priorities as a family.”

The ICHE Family Conference will be taking place May 28-31. It will be hosted using the event app Whova, and you’ll have access to the conference sessions via Whova for a full year afterward.

There are at least three groups of people who should consider registering for this conference:

• Homeschooling moms and dads who were planning to attend the regular, in-person event

• Parents who have considered attending the event in the past but were unable to do so because of distance, budget, childcare, etc.

• Anyone interested in learning more about homeschooling (parents, grandparents, pastors, etc.)

Homeschooling is really an extension of parenting. It’s the opportunity to teach and disciple our children with a degree of intention unmatched by other options. As Kirk Smith pointed out, “So many dads and moms want to do parenting right, they just lack examples and resources. The conference will give them both.”

So if you want to be a better homeschooler—or a better parent—be sure to check out the ICHE Family Conference! Check it out HERE.

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While an LGBT history curriculum bill winds it’s way through the General Assembly, parents are deciding how best to educate their children. A leading homeschool advocate is encouraging moms and dads to think Biblically as they make their choices.