Remember back in the days before you had children - back when you thought that you had some clue of just what it would be like to be a parents, and how you would have perfect children? What an awakening parenthood is - in more ways that one! From the worst case of colic that the doctors had ever seen, all the way through to the transition to college or other choices - what an exciting life we have had as parents! During this time together, Amanda will use some of her own trials and tribulations, along with the survival tips and lessons that she learned first-hand. Along with a healthy dose of laughter, hope and encouragement, Amanda will share, inform, and provide ideas that can help you in your own family's adventure.
While times might be wild, family life and homeschooling can go hand-in-hand- we are indeed a work in progress!

Unit studies are one of many exciting and effective educational tools available to homeschool families today. They are not some complex, difficult form of learning - they can be surprisingly simple and extremely effective. Whether you currently use unit studies, would like to use them, or just want to know more about how other use them, come join Amanda as she shares her insight and ideas on their real-life application.

During this talk, the basics of unit studies will be discussed, along with the methods of development for a homeschool environment. With more than thirty books published, Amanda helps parents develop confidence in their abilities and knowledge of using unit studies to educate their children.

One of the most difficult things for many parents to identify can be their own child's gifts and talents. Each of our children is so uniquely talented and every child is gifted. One of Amanda's favorite sayings is "Every child is gifted and every child is a gift - you just have to figure out how to unwrap the package!" Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to notice gifts and talents in others than in yourself or your children? Recognizing these gifts is not always an easy or simple task, and Amanda spends this time helping you understand some of the practical concepts and categories, along with ideas to help foster their development. Gifts and talents - we've all been given them, and God doesn't give us talents that he doesn't intend for us to use!

After 15 years of homeschooling, with two in college and one still at home, let Amanda share her top ten tips from lessons learned along the way. After being asked repeatedly about what her "secrets" were to raising such self-motivated learners, Amanda has put together her list of favorite tips.

Homeschooling can be an integral part of a family's lifestyle, instead of just one more thing to trudge through on your daily list of TTD (Things To Do), and these tips will help. Bring along pen and paper - you won't want to miss the fun!