Summary: This Post Contains No Affiliate Links<br> I did something a little different for this episode. I went to a homeschool conference in Williamsburg last week run by the Latter-day Saint Home Educators (LDSHE). I volunteered to help organize the conference this year, so I had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the conference. I was even given the chance to speak at the conference in the Beginners' Seminar on homeschool philosophies. You can view my slides here. And, you can listen if you purchase the audio here.<br> <br> I had the opportunity at the end of the conference to ask a small handful of attendees how they felt about the conference, and how they will apply what they have learned to their family culture.<br> <br> There is quite a bit of ambient noise from the crowds, but I used some quiet ambient music to cover it up a little bit!<br> <br> The overall message I got from the conference this year is the need we all have for mentors. When parents are starting out, we need an experienced mentor who can help us with this transition to parenthood who is compassionate, and not overbearing. Any time we are making a change into something that is new, we need someone to coach us into learning about the rules, or helping us understand ourselves as we cope with the change. Homeschooling is definitely one of those things. I'm grateful for the women I met last week that I see as mentors helping me process all the information that is out there vying for my attention.<br> <br> Isn't it so true that there are so many different factors trying to change our values or trying to pull at our attention? Being able to process all of this information is helping me to filter out what is really important and ignore the rest. That is truly what it takes to form a thriving family culture. When we flesh out our mission statement, our family vision, or intentions, we are basically saying that this is what defines our family based on our identity and values.<br> <br> When you and your spouse come from two different backgrounds, coming together to get clear on your family culture helps you agree what will work for your family, and what won't. It's important that we have that conversation to help us be more intentional about our family culture. We need to get clear on our identity and goals as a family, and the rest will fall into place.<br> <br> I think that you will find this episode uplifting, even if you don't homeschool your children. And, if you are considering homeschool, let me reassure you there is lots of support here for you.<br> <br> Thank you for listening.
