Raising Kids to Do Hard Things
Ever since we started this blog, and especially after Do Hard Things was released, we’ve gotten tons of emails from parents who want to know what our parents did to raise us kids. Our response is always that we’re far from perfect, but by God’s grace — and largely through decisions our father and mother made before we were born — we’ve seen God use our family in ways we never could have dreamed.
Our dad is our hero. Nobody has influenced us more than he has — both in what we’re doing today, as well as how we think about life. So we’ve encourage him (for a long time) to put his best ideas and insights into a new conference for parents (and teens). It’s called Raising Kids to Do Hard Things, but it’s not your average seminar — it’s more like a strategy session with our dad, who brings a boatload of biblical wisdom and 35 years of practical experience raising us and our siblings.
For any of you who have attended one of our Do Hard Things conferences, you know what a powerful and paradigm-shifting speaker our dad is. For all of you, his new conference is a terrific opportunity to find out for yourself. There currently ten conferences scheduled in ten cities across the United States — beginning in Los Angeles, CA in February and ending in Orlando, FL in December 2010.
- Los Angeles, CA • February 12-13, 2010 (visit the website)
- Dothan, AL • February 26-27, 2010 (visit the website)
- Portland, OR • March 19-20, 2010 (visit the website)
- Chicago, IL • April 23-24, 2010 (visit the website)
- St. Louis, MO • May 14-15, 2010 (visit the website)
- Denver, CO • September 17-18, 2010 (visit the website)
- Dallas, TX • October 8-9, 2010 (visit the website)
- Atlanta, GA • October 29-30, 2010 (visit the website)
- Washington D.C. • November 12-13, 2010 (visit the website)
- Orlando, FL • December 3-4, 2010 (visit the website)
You probably noticed that this “parenting” seminar is for both parents and teens. There’s a reason for that — and it’s very similar to the reason why we encourage parents to attend our “teen” conferences every year. As young people you probably live with your family. And being a rebelutionary gets a lot easier when you’re doing hard things with your parents on board. They can give you wise advice, provide needed resources (and snacks), drive you around, and help you keep going.
We’re excited about how God will use our dad’s new conference to get parents and teens excited about doing hard things together. Your job is to let your parents know about it — and encourage them to make it a family event! You’ll be glad you did.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:07 am
So, which conference is it that goes from Los Angelos to Orlando? If it’s Do Hard Things, then I would LOVE to come!!! I’m sure a lot of my friends would, too.
~Kay Morris
November 5th, 2009 at 7:12 am
Oh, I wish I could go! Your dad is such a amazing person!
*First post…wow!*
November 5th, 2009 at 7:35 am
My family and I are planning on coming. My family was raised very similarly to your…. so ‘Do Hard Things’ was already a way of life before I discovered the Rebelution last January. Reading your book and joining the forums just took it to the next level for me. I am really excited about this new event… and I will see Mr. Harris in Los Angeles!
By the way, how does it feel to be 21?
Praying for you and your family as this new event gets off the ground.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I have been wanting to go to a conference. maybe in 2010 if yall come to TX again!
November 5th, 2009 at 8:51 am
I’m sending my parents to this conference
November 5th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Wow!! That’s so great! There are so many parents I know that are letting their kids slip away; they need to hear stuff like what your family has to say!
I just have to say (another) THANK YOU to you for your ministry. I bought Do Hard Things for a young man at my church for his b-day and he’s loving it! He really needs the encouragement and I loved knowing exactly what to get him!
God bless!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Wow, you guys, that sounds SO COOL!! I wish I could come…
Praying for you!! (and your dad!!)
-Molly
November 5th, 2009 at 10:17 am
This is so awesome! You guys really should bring this to Canada.
Do you think you ever will?
God Bless
Your sister in Christ
Alesia
November 5th, 2009 at 10:30 am
My parents, my younger sister, and I are planning on attending!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Greetings,
Recently I have been finding myself, over and over, striving to communicate to my fellow teens the importance of parents. They are invaluable and worthy of respect, no matter what we or the culture might think.
I am where I am today, blogging, helping, writing, everything, because of two things: God’s grace, and my parent’s grace. And my parents were able to show me grace because of God’s grace in their lives.
I was rebellious, self-centered, prideful, and stupid to boot. My parents poured their hearts, their love, their wisdom into me without ceasing for 17 long years. See, I thought, and they thought, I was saved.
But I wasn’t.
I wasted my life for 17 years.
Then my facade of respectability and righteousness: all my pride, came tumbling down. My secret sins were exposed, and I was on my face before my Creator, begging for mercy for me and for those whom I had hurt. That was when I was saved.
Finally.
But what happened to all those years of wisdom and teaching that my loving and patient parents had poured into me? Was it wasted too?
No.
I yielded to my Lord, and determined to rebuild my life from nothing. All I had was the Bible and my memories of what my parents had taught me. But all those rejected lessons that I had hated came back to me, and guided me. It was as if my parents were right there next to me, even when they were far away, teaching me over again.
That is why I am where I am. By God’s grace I was able to remember, and listen, and yield to my loving and wise father and mother. I still praise God for them.
We need to give our parents a chance, and God a chance.
With joy and peace in Christ,
Jay Lauser aka Sir Emeth Mimetes
November 5th, 2009 at 11:52 am
This would be awesome to go to as a family. I’m so glad you guys always keep things family-centered. It really follows the Biblical standard instead of what the world says.
Good luck on the conference!
Your sister in Christ,
Emily
November 5th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
This is amazing! When my mom saw the add in World she said she had been waiting for something like this. She (and I) think its a great idea!
Nicholas
November 5th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
That is really cool! Totally awesome that he’s putting all of that into a conference. Also, having parents and their teens come together is a great bonding experience as well. Me, my mom, 4 of my friends and their moms all went to the Rebelution conference in July and it was life-changing. I had already read Do Hard Things and everything but we had a total blast and it was a really awesome learning experience. I now have a whole group of my friends doing a DHT bible study and becoming great rebelutionaries for Jesus just because I decided to go to the conference and bring some friends along. I’ll be praying for your Dad.
Daughter of the King,
~Alesha
November 5th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
How exciting!!! I hope we can come to the one in Portland!!!
Like everyone else said, thank you for taking a stand against the norm and being “weird”!
God has truly blessed your family with a man who truly has a heart after God!
And I hope I will get to come to listen to him! Will your mom be speaking at all?
We’ll be praying for y’all!
(Brett finally got his blue!
-the new site is black and blue if ya didn’t notice! :)- )
Happy Belated B-day guys! God bless!
November 5th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I will see if there is anything close enough. Maybe we can go to the Orlando one as an excuse to visit Grandma and Grandpa.
Sarah
November 5th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Hey Alex and Brett,
I am encouraged and excited for this conference. I am going to try to make it to one of these in 2010! I pray that God will use it to impact the parents and hopefully the teens as well and maybe the teens can carry the wisdom they hear from your father over to their married lived.
-Justin
November 5th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Oh I hope I can come! I loved listening to your dad at the conference in CA and it would be wonderful to see him again!
BTW Alex and Brett, it always touches me to see how much you love and respect your dad! At the conference it was so easy to see that you both adore him and I don’t wonder why. Your dad is such a wonderful man and I always learn so much when I hear him speak or read something by him! And he’s so neat just to talk to! I spoke to him on the day of the conference and he told me the whole story of how you (Alex) and Courtney met!
Sarah
November 5th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
This sounds so very good! May God bless you as you do this! (Too bad you’re not having it in Minnesota, our state.) I’m so thankful to the Lord for my parents and all that they have taught me at home.
Your book (Do Hard Things) has been such a good influence in my life and a wonderful encouragement, because I am finding that everything worth doing in life is hard…but it’s worth it. Thanks for the good example!
Joyfully,
Ana
November 5th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Oh Wow! This sounds great! Will you be producing them onto DVD or audio after the event? This is something we definitely doesn’t want to miss out on, but we live in Australia, so attending in person is a little tricky. I am very curious as to what your parents did to make you so… rebelutionary.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
That would be amazing! Looking into it.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Wow, this looks great! We were so excited when we read about it in WORLD. Mr. Harris was the speaker at one of the first seminars my parents attended that helped them decide to/learn how to homeschool. Now, 25 years and seven kids (and four graduates so far) later, I’m sure my parents would love to come! Thanks for all you guys do!
In Christ,
Juliet
November 5th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Awesome, I’m totally gonna get that book!
Luv,Emii
November 6th, 2009 at 7:20 am
[...] Raising Kids to do Hard Things – they’re coming to Atlanta in 2010! [...]
November 6th, 2009 at 8:59 am
WOW! I am going to a seminar and I was told to read this book so we could discuss it. It is amazing! I wish I could come to a conference! You guys should come to Alaska sometime!
Sabrina
November 6th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Cool! I’m sure that my parents will be interested in this.
God bless!
November 6th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
This is sooo cool! I bet my mom would LOVE to come to one of your dad’s parenting conferences! We both loved the Do Hard Things tour in D.C this Sept! Your dad is a great speaker!
Hope all the best to him with the new conference and I will be praying that hearts of all the parents and teens attending will be changed during the tour!
God Bless!
Lexi
November 6th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Awesome!
I love what you two are doing. I’ve seen your do hard things conference on video, but it would be great to go to an actual seminar one day soon.
God bless you both!
Dallian
November 6th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Sweet!
My family and I will definitely try and come. I went to the Do Hard Things conference two years ago, and it was really inspiring. I can’t wait to go to this. Thanks for putting this together!
Blessings,
Caleb Nathaniel <
November 7th, 2009 at 6:49 am
The conference sounds great! I’m definitely going to try to get my whole family to go. However, the dates are a little confusing to read. “Atlanta, GA 10.29-30.10″. Anyone know what that means?
November 7th, 2009 at 6:50 am
nvm, I found out what the dates were. Oct. 29-30 2010.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Since your dad is doing this conference are you guys going to still do your conference this year, or take a break?
I would love to help with either of them! It was such a blessing to help at your conference this year.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I’m excited about these conferences and I hope to come to the one in Los Angeles! I was at your conference in Orange County this summer and it was wonderful! I love your dad’s speaking. I also love the way you two love and respect your dad so much (it reminds me of the way I feel about my dad!)
November 7th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
What about your mom?
November 8th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I want my parents and I to go the Orlando one! Thanx for going to AL for the conference and challenging us to DHT!
November 8th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Sounds great! It would be neat to hear you guys (not particularly your dad) sometime!
November 10th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
hehe Casey, don’t you like their dad?
November 10th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
This is so amazing. Can anyone see miracle. What you guys are doing is a complete and pure miracle. It is amazing. wow! Hebrews 11:3
I heard on June 7th you guys are coming out to the Edmonton area to Sherwood Park, SCA school, well news, thats my school! I am in grade 12 and I am getting on board and getting out of my comfort zone and im going to help out with the whole conference you are holding here. It is going to be a Blessing!
I myself am blessed to search up your website and read this book.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Amanda: Are you talking about Edmonton Alberta Canada?
November 11th, 2009 at 8:44 am
My mother says she heard and appreciated Gregg Harris speaking at several homeschool conferences back when she was first beginning to teach us at home. We’ve been in Europe now for over two years, and we’ll hopefully be back in time for one of them! It would be a big encouragement, both to my parents and me… especially since I’ve never even made it to a Rebelution conference :(. I wonder if Joel Harris will be playing music again?
November 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
OMG COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 13th, 2009 at 5:28 am
my friend had made a project while were still 6TH GRADE!! when i was assigned to read the book called the rebelution, it reminded me that thats what my friend did… when i started reading it, it had a very good point… im not a really good student, and i need my expectation beyond school and behaving, like my friend did…. he was very commited to do amazing things like bring a famous pastor to our school. i felt like i havent contributed to the community. im 11 and i plan to do BIG things in my age because of this inspiring book.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
@Emii NO I didn’t mean that……..:)
November 14th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Your book is great! I’m reading it now and I just keeping going yu, yup yup. Hey could you guys try bringing the coference closer to the state of New Mexico. Its a small state, but I.m sure tons of teens would go to your conference. Thanks!
November 17th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Hello everyone. Thanks for all the encouragement. Though I am not sure about Casey ; ) But I have two important requests. First, this new seminar is being designed for your parents to attend with you, and it will be in your interests to be there if at all possible to hear what I am saying to your mom and dad. The goal of it all is to strengthen your family team to do hard things together. Second, I would like to know what issues and questions you would like me to address in the new seminar. What kinds of problems or obstacles do you face that your parents might help you overcome? You can post your comments here and I will follow up each day as I develop the sessions. Or you can email them to me at gregg@nobleinstitute.org. Thanks. I really al looking forward to seeing you at one of the seminars. In Christ, Gregg Harris
November 19th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Not to be nit picky. But it’s “They’re currently ten conferences scheduled…” not “There…”
November 20th, 2009 at 9:34 am
[...] what the famous Harris brothers have to say about this seminar with their dad: Ever since we started this blog, and especially [...]
November 20th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I am from SCA too in Sherwood Park, and I am super excited about this conference!! I’m so pumped to get involved, and to see the Harris family. you guys are all such an inspiration! I’ve been trying to get my hands on the Do Hard Things book, but it is surprisingly hard to get a hold of. Where else in Canada has the conference been held?
Thank you so much for everything you have been doing. I’m expecting great things for this conference. God bless.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Oh, and another thing. Any tips on what to say when recruiting possible members to your team? specifically the touch team?
November 22nd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
You guys really need to do a confrence in South Dakota! I want to go to one soooooo bad!!! ~ Alli
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I suppose that a problem I face that they could help me overcome would be finding my spiritual gifts, and what God has called me to do in life… it is a hard thing to know without the wisdom of you parents and people who know you well. Also, help in acting on those gifts and callings. Sometimes it does require help of those older, wiser, and more experienced. And encouragement is great! I love it when my parents encourage me in what I do, rather than constantly tell me what I didn’t do, or how I could have done it differently. But, at the same time, I would still like their advice in how I can do things better. I really hope I make sense…
I think it is SO cool that you are doing this!!! I really want to be at the Orlando conference! I hope and pray that all will go well!
In Christ and of Christ,
Kaitland C
December 24th, 2009 at 1:58 am
As a young homeschooling parent who both strives to Do Hard Things and raise my girls to Do Hard Things, I think this is fantastic! However, I live in South Africa and attending a conference is beyond my reach. Please, please, PLEASE bring out this conference in DVD and/or book format. PLEASE!!!!!!!!
December 26th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
These conferences sound like a terrific opportunity; I have often wondered how your parents raised all of their children to “Do Hard Things.” I do have a question, though: will these conferences replace the Rebelution conferences, or will you be doing both?
December 29th, 2009 at 1:44 am
Mr. Harris,
Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend any of the Conferences, but I do have a question that others may have! I will try not to be confusing, sorry if I am.
My question is how can parents encourage their teens in their strengths without being critical about their weakness’? Also ways that teens can respond to the encouragement even when it isn’t the encouragement they wanted? This has happened to me at times when my mom pointed out a strength that she may consider important but I don’t, and this especially comes out when discussing college majors or future careers. Hope the question made sense.
Thank you for all you do, and definetly consider doing a conference in Arizona in the summer when it is a whopping 126 degrees fahrenheit!
Callan
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Why don’t you guys do a trip up here to Fairbanks Alaska? I’m sure lots of people would be interested.
January 4th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
This is so great that you guys are doing this! i just got the book “Do Hard Things” for Christmas and so far it has been awesome. You people are a blessing from God.
January 6th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
hi i’m korean
January 7th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
u should come to colorado it would be awsome
January 7th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Being a father and youth pastor I have two reasons why I appreciate God’s message through your family.
If you folks are willing to come to Hawaii, then let’s talk & pray together. I think your message through your book, blog and conferences have validity and needed here. Our Hawaii teens and their parents are fighting the same battle.
January 7th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
This is so great, guys! We did the “Do Hard Things” dvd series in my youth group and we all loved it! It’s about time somebody started this rebelution…rebeling against low expectations. It also helped my youth group to realize that it shouldn’t be just a passing feeling, but a day-to-day commitment to rely on God’s strength to get us through our ‘hard things.’ We’re so thankful for you!
Your sis in Christ,
Bree
January 9th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Could you come to Germany in the near future?
It would be a great pleasure to visit some of your conferences!
Thanks for your work and especially your book!
It inspired me heavily!
Greets from Germany,
Markus
January 12th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Someone else mentioned this as well but you guys should bring your tour to Canada. Hit up all the big cities including our capital Ottawa, Ontario. I hope to see it happen as I for one would love to go. God Bless!!
February 6th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Are you guys going to do a Canadian Tour at some point? That would be pretty sweet!
February 8th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Wow i wish you guys were doing seminars in Australia its a shame i will miss them.
February 17th, 2010 at 1:25 am
[...] February 17, 2010 at 10:25 am (Life, Siblings) Check out the Rebelution blog run by Alex and Brett Harris!!!!! [...]
April 20th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Wow, thats so amazing what you are doing, I hope one day you can have the conference in Australia. Stir the fire for doing Hard things for Christ!!
May 12th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
I hope someday you can also come in Asia specially in the Philippines where TEENS are so many. :), God bless!
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:10 am
When you come here to the Philippines, we’ll be more than glad to help.
June 4th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Nossa ler o livro de voces foi muito bom só me edificou .. venham para o Brasiil estamos esperando anciosos!!
June 15th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Have you ever considered coming to Australia, I Live in WA and we don’t get many seminar’s like this at all. I would definetly come, and so would many of my friends. I have recently read your book and you have been a big inspiration in my life to ‘do hard things’. Please come to Aus.
June 19th, 2010 at 10:00 am
I would love it if you would come to Maryland for a conference. Ever since I found about your family, and your ministry (the Rebelution), I have been a changed person. Thank you so much!
Mr. Harris:
One question that I would like to have answered is: How do we put our parents’ encouragement to heart? How do we use their’s and others’ encouragement without pride?
July 19th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
I wish I could come so much! Maybe at some point in the future. I’ve started your book, “Do Hard Things” and so far I love it! I do have a question though: I guess this is branched from the whole “do hard things” message, but what if hard things simply aren’t available? This may sound lame (wince, sorry, I couldn’t think of a better word) but sometimes, I frankly feel that way.
God bless,
Christy.
July 29th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
I think it should come to Canada! i hope it does :p i would definatly be down for that!
July 30th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I have 2 teenage girls both fixing to begin college.We have homeschooled them and their three sisters.We are very interested in your conference but do not have sufficient funds. A fellow homeschool mom encouraged me to inquire to see if you offer any type
of scholarships for the Nashville conference on August 14, 2010.
Thank you for your consideration
August 10th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
this book iz borin
August 10th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
step yo game up wit diz book………sheessh…
August 16th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
I’m not a teen…a young adult maybe because i’m already 27 but i think i will never be old enough to DO HARD things!
thanks for everything!
are you coming here to the Philippines?