by Sarah Juliusson

In an interview with Peggy O’Mara, owner & editor of Mothering Magazine and keynote speaker at the conference, we had the opportunity to explore further the elements needed to nurture a healthy family.  She shared, “It is important for families to create their own ethos…they are their own community. This is the first community, and everything else should flow from that.”  Our core values as a family offer us a larger purpose or vision to help guide us as we raise our children.

As new parents, it can be difficult to navigate the wealth of information and products available to us.  Parents are faced with the challenge of not only sifting through the information, but also discerning what feels right for themselves and their children.  O’Mara spoke of the importance of trusting ourselves first and foremost:  “We cannot allow our own personal ethic of parenting be created by the fashions of the day.  They could change in 5 or 10 years.  Our personal ethic of parenting has to be stronger, more thought out, more grounded than that.”

As we develop our own personal family ethos, we must learn to trust our instincts.  O’Mara shared “As a young parent I felt the pressure to know the answer. But I didn’t always know.”   First we must learn to trust ourselves and build that capacity for inner knowing.  She continued, “You begin to trust yourself the more you do it.  You create a vocabulary of trust within yourself. “

The Healthy Families conference is an amazing opportunity to learn from respected leaders in the field on themes of nurturing both parents and children.  The workshops and speakers are sure to be an inspiration and source of tremendous support to all who attend.  Perhaps even more important, however, as Peggy O’Mara shared, “We go to a conference for the speakers, but we really go to see each other, to know that we’re not alone.”

We look forward to seeing many of you at the conference and hope that you not only learn something new, but also feel that sense of connection and support with others as we nurture our families and build a healthy community.

To read more about Mama Renew's conversation with Peggy O’Mara on themes of simplicity and slow family, click here…. http://www.mamarenew.ca/blog/2009/04/peggy-omara-on-simplicity/

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