From our background as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that the family is the main unit of society. As the result of large programs (schools, governments, businesses) and individualizing elements of society (devices, laws, specialists), the family has been shifted to a lower tier of importance in society in general. The purpose of the Family Academy is to push the criticality of the family to the forefront of societal organization and importance.
Until families start directly helping other families accomplish much of what is currently being outsourced to institutions, they will have less authority and even less sovereignty as the consequences of societal decisions continue to have more and more personal impact on family members, as freedoms are lost and living life becomes more arduous. Lives may even be increasingly threatened by disease, economic torrents, foreign entaglements, unsafe streets and parks, access and dependence on drugs, etc.
Families can work with friend-families to help strengthen other local and distant families so we can both cope with and reduce unwanted societal undercurrents. As they do this they will have a more authoritative “seat at the table” in choosing the objectives and tools that are used to meet coming unforeseen challenges associated with, social media, AR, VR, nano, AI, Space, and bio innovations as they become more a day-to-day reality.
The Family Academy will utilize many of the same principles as other J&A organizations. Families will have the freedom to explore topics that are of importance to themselves. For example, if nutrition needs to be addressed, there are resources available to families from self-discovery, DIY, family-to-family solutions and access to social entrepreneurs to find solutions that work for the family and groups of families.
“Groups of four”, as with prior J&A organizations, will also play a significant role in the Family Academy. Families will be organized into groups of four creating a network of support regarding what it means to be a family unit and to work together in the different familial roles. For example, the group could decide that once a week, one family will prepare a meal for all four families. The result would provide each family with three evenings where they could focus their energies towards other important family matters and introduce variety into meal planning and preparation. Go to the J&A Family Academy Website or read the corresponding chapter of the book
