Advocating close to home

• How can you be more prepared to advocate in the system or level you personally feel is the most difficult?

I think it takes preparation.  You need to prepare both spiritually and physically.  You need to be aware of the issues, you need to know both sides of the issue so that you can defend it better.  I think it would be harder to advocate on a big level.  I think I would be too nervous and wouldn't feel like I knew enough, or understood enough.  However I can advocate for things close to home.  I've been advocating for my daughter for 5 years in her school work.  They almost had her failing kindergarten and finally 5 years later I finally feel like we are getting answers and getting her the help that she needs.
Also a few years ago my daughter's class was having a career day.  Her teacher really wanted a stay-at-home mom to speak. All of my friends decided there weren't the ones for the job.  After thinking about it all afternoon, I realized that I had a good idea.  Just like Sister Oscarson's (Young Women General President) daughter I was able to go in and do a presentation on stay-at-home moms.  It turned out really great.  I went with the idea that a mom has to wear different hats.  I brought all these different hats to represent things that I had to do as a mother.  And then at the end I threw them all up in the air and said, "And sometimes I have do all of these jobs at the same time."  I went over really well.  I also did it for that same teacher the next year.  So there are many little ways we can advocate without going big.

• What are your most important take-aways from the lesson this week? These take-aways can come from readings, videos, classmates, etc.

I really like watching the presentations from women that are associated with the United Families International.  They are inspiring.  This week we had to watch a presentation from Kelli Houghton.  She kind of overwhelmed me.  I admired her for her work and the voice she is willing to have to protect families but if that was me, I think I would be overwhelmed with the legal language.  I feel that it would go right over my head.  It would definitely take a lot of learning to be able to participate in a United Nations convention.  She talked about the importance of networking and having good contacts that could come in handy someday.  We have to be involved for the sake of our families.  We have to take a stand.  Satan's fight is ever so strong and those at the United Nations are quick to hear the other side.

• What did you learn from your readings about Ecological Systems Theory, how has this lesson been helpful to you as a family advocate?

There are many levels that we are effected.  This week we learned about the microsystem which is basically our families.  The mesosystem that expands to our community & neighborhood.  The exosystem would be the governments effect on us.  In our Google Hangout this morning we decided that advocating on the microsystem would be the most beneficial.  We have to fight for our own families before we can fight for others.  There are little things in our community that can make a big changes.  We can't be afraid to let our voices be heard.