by Laurel Hill
Attending Homeschool Day at the Capitol with my children for the first time this year, I can now say that I honestly regret not going sooner! I have to admit that my expectations for the day were not that high. I went in thinking it would be a boring experience. How wrong I was!
We have been a homeschooling family since the fall of 2020, but I truly had no idea what the day would be like or what to expect. I was surprised by how fast the hours flew by and how enjoyable it was for all of us.
I had planned to seek out our local representatives and say hello to them. This was definitely the highlight of our day! In fact, when I asked my son what his favorite part of the day was, he said speaking with Senator Queen was at the top for him. It wasn’t just our local representatives that we got face-to-face time with, though. As we passed many legislators mingling outside the chambers, I had a few moments to speak with Senator Rucker, a homeschool mom herself! Her children have since graduated, but her words of wisdom and support were inspiring.
We also had the opportunity to meet and speak to Secretary of State, Kris Warner. Extremely welcoming and friendly with our group, he helped each child make a state seal and shared interesting background info about the seal. My daughter told me that making her seal was her favorite part of the day.
Getting to sit in and watch part of the House of Delegates session that morning proved very interesting and educational. To see how bills actually get passed was very informative.
Another highlight for us was the rally in the rotunda. Well-organized, the midday event alternated many student performances with a variety of speakers from different organizations.
My takeaway for the day was that representatives are people just like us. They have families and jobs and hobbies. Don’t be intimidated to speak to them and share with them about your own family and work and pasttimes––and, most importantly, why you homeschool. Share your experiences and accomplishments. Share your concerns and worries.
One important piece of advice I would give is to dress in a manner that shows respect: respect for the capitol, respect for the representatives, and respect for yourself and all the other homeschoolers you are representing. Impressions matter and attire says a lot. Strive to give your best impression with each representative through your words, actions, and appearances.
Tip number two: Pack snacks for your kids. I carried a small canvas tote bag of practical, helpful items for the day. It held what we needed and was a dumping place for anything we picked up along the way.
Tip number three: Eat lunch in the capitol cafeteria but know that they close at 1:30, so plan accordingly.
Tip four: Have fun with your kids! Learn beside them and teach them how to show respect while becoming informed and enjoying new experiences together!
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