Welcome to the Wild and Free podcast, episode 34.

I'm Ainsley Arment, and this week we're going to share a special moment that happened at our recent Wild and Free Conference in Portland, Oregon,

as well as a delightful interview with a mama who's making math easy for the rest of us, Holly Dodin.

So grab a cup of coffee and join us on the front porch.

Let's get started. One of the things that makes this community so special is that there is no competition. I don't know why, but it used to be that homeschool mamas felt the need to try to keep up with the latest curriculum, courses, and co-ops,

which led to a state of constant comparing themselves with other mamas. Ultimately, this left them feeling isolated and alone. But the Wild and Free

community is different. It allows us to come together without any judgment or criticism and support

each other no matter what approach we take. This past week, the Wild and Free Children hashtag was

overflowing with Wild and Free groups hosting nature hikes, book clubs, and field trips from all over the world.

We may not all homeschool the same way, but we're all in this together.

And there are some amazing mamas out there just waiting to connect with you.

To learn more about wild and free groups or to find out how you can start one in your area, visit bewild and free.org. At our recent Wild and Free Conference in Portland, Oregon, there was a special moment on Saturday morning that surprised a young girl who was attending the event

with her mother and delighted everyone in the audience. We thought it would be fun to share

it with you here. Let's listen in. Welcome back ladies. We are going to introduce our next

presenter to you in just a moment, but I wanted to take a moment.

We're a little bit ahead of schedule.

So I was just out in the lobby and mingling in here, and I was talking with a mom who is here

with her teenage daughter.

And I just love speaking with them and hearing their story, and we don't really get a lot of teenagers at this conference.

So it was really fun to chat with them.

And I thought it would be neat if I brought them up,

but I don't know where they are.

...