The CHEA Convention

Yesterday was the Long Beach CHEA Convention. CHEA is the Christian Home Educators Association here in California. Nathan spent the day at a military war reenactment thing with Grandma and Grandpa while the rest of the family took the short trip to Long Beach.
We first dropped Kaeley off at the Childrens Convetion. It was located in a ballroom at the hotel next door to the convention. Kaeley understood that she was going to be there all day and probably wouldn't know anyone. The ballroom doors opened and we were bombarded with loud music, television screens to accompany the band, a huge blow-up play house, tables of crafts, and screaming, jumping kids everywhere! I was overwhelmed on Kaeley's behalf, but she said her good-byes and walked away. I got all choked up as I watched her go. She sure is a confident kid. Then I smiled at myself and blamed it on hormones. I'll have to resort to, "There's something in my eye," when I'm no longer pregnant.
Brad and I continued on to the convention. I was walking slowly, due to a slight nervousness, but inside I was bouncing with excitement! I was really happy that Brad had decided to come with me. Well, he didn't necessarily decide to come with me. He more graciously accept my, "You're going with me to the homeschooling convention, because you're the father and need to know what's going on." I know he would have rather stayed home after a busy week at the office.
I happily told him that I had brought some cash, my debit card, and my check book for all the goodies I knew I was going to find.
I was open to buying a full curriculum of some sorts even if it meant putting it away for a year until she was ready. For those of you who don't home school and have never seen a homeschooling catalog before let me just inform you that the choices are endless, all great sounding, and overwhelming. Each promises results beyond your imagination. It seemed prudent for me to buy the "thing" now while I had the chance and approval of the husband. What a time saver. Anyway, that was my thought behind the whole shopping extravaganza.
We walked around the exhibit hall for maybe twenty minutes. It was fun to window shop. Most everything was too old for Kaeley anyway, but there were picture books, books for the parents, learning toys, etc. Brad and I poured over anything that looked good. It was fascinating seeing all the different science programs, phonics sets, virtues studies, and so on. Most of it, if not all, was from a Biblical perspective. It was just awesome to see the possibilities.
We went to our first workshop, which was entitled Getting Them Ready to Learn and Love It. Our speaker was a very nice, quiet spoken woman who had home schooled four children during the 80's. Back then homeschooling wasn't as popular and they had no ready-made curriculum to buy. They had to make it up as they went along. She used her experience to give us tips in how to use everyday experiences to teach our pre-elementary children without teaching. Her point was to make things fun, real, and practical for them. She stressed the fact that at this age stay away from the big nasty C-word... Curriculum. There's no need for it when they're young. There were lots of little nuggets within her speech, but that was the overall point.
Well, after hearing that, how could I go back downstairs to buy all those expensive books for our four-year old? Brad and I used the break to eat some incredibly healthy food at Islands. Yes, we both finished our burgers and shared fries. I felt confident that my protein intake for the day, and probably the next, had been satisfied.
Back to the workshop... we decided to attend Wake Up and Smell the Crayons. This was geared for parents of preschool aged children learn what was crucial to have in the curriculum field and what to do with the younger siblings. It was awesome. The speaker went through research about children at that age and what they're learning to do physically, emotionally, and socially. So, curriculum for the four-year old included crayons, paper, books, dirt, shovel... you get the point. They were all basic toys in which they could explore their world, pretend to be adults, and learn while they're doing it.
We spent the rest of the day back at the exhibit hall. No. I don't spend a penny! I walked out absolutely perplexed at my self-discipline and lack of interest. I began to wonder if I was having an outer-body experience.
We picked up Kaeley, who had had a very good time, and then got Nathan from my in-laws. We were all bushed when we got home. Kaeley was incredibly loud from the time Nathan got in the car until we got upstairs. There was a time when I had asked her to practice being quiet. She said, "Yes, Mommy." Within two minutes she was right back to her loud starting point. I rolled my eyes and decided not to waste my energy.
When we got home we told the kids to have quiet time in their bedroom since it was too late for a nap. My legs were tired from walking around in my trusty flip-flops, my body was exhausted from digesting a huge burger and walking around with a some-odd pound baby attached to my body like a parasite, and I was sure my ears would fall right off my head if anyone else uttered a word.
Brad gave me his encouragement as I headed to a bath. I sat in my warm bubbly water and just melted. Then things became a little out of control. The kids bedroom is right across from the bathroom and I began to hear their usual game of Kaeley shrieking as she runs laps around the bedroom and falls down on the ground. Nathan will then take his cue and start giggling, which makes Kaeley laugh even harder. They'll repeat this over and over and over again. The only difference is that they get louder with each passing lap. Oh, their quiet time was not so quiet. I kept waiting for Brad to step in and demand for silence, but it never came.
He's better at tuning out the joyful sound of the children enjoying themselves in such manner. I chalk it up to him soaking in the sounds of grown men in a dark basement day after day. I get to hear the joys of childhood all week long, so by the end of it I'm ready to hear the heavenly sound of reflecting. They can reflect on anything they want for all I care... their calling in life, how it can be that their hair grows so quickly, why it is that Nathan drools so much... I don't care... just stop screaming! I tell you my apartment shrinks at every holler.
Anyway, back to my story, Brad never did step in, and I bit my tongue against the rising, "CAN I HAVE SOME PEACE AND QUIET PLEASE!" I finally decided to shut the shower door and pretend the children belonged to an annoying neighbor. Some how this pretend world of mine worked magic in the children, because they were silent a short while later. I sighed with relief. I wouldn't go deaf after all. What a long week it had been. I began to reflect...
... until, that is, Brad began to reflect on the joys of Led Zeppelin, which wasn't obnoxiously loud, but had I mentioned the fact that I really thought my ears would fall off? I began to apply a Bible study I'm doing right now entitled Power of a Praying Wife. "Oh, God, please help me. Give me patience. Give me patience. Change my perception." You know this prayer. You mean it from the bottom of your heart and you're begging for change so bad your face is squinting in the process.
About five minutes later Brad popped his head in to see how I was doing. I can't remember how it came up, but he ended up asking me if his music was bothering me. He asked me, "Do you want me to turn it down?" I hemmed and hawed. "Well, it would be lovely to have some quiet." I smiled again. He just nodded and said, "I'll turn it down."
I made sure to stay in the bath while I heard him heat food up in the microwave and feed the children, and I emerged right after I had heard the dishes put away. Goodness I married a great man!
I finally did get my peace and quiet after the children went to bed, which was an hour early. They slept for a full eleven hours! I read for most of my night and then reflected that I hadn't bought anything. I hadn't thought that was possible.