Leaders in Developmental Psychology, Attachment Parenting, and Diversity Tolerance Gather for Immersive, 3-Day August Conference

RHINEBECK, NY – As if parenting wasn’t hard enough already, new advances in technology have shifted the landscape and present a wide range of new challenges. From social media cyberbullying to the number of people who can access and interact with kids online, parents now face added pressure on top of nurturing and supporting their families in a difficult economy. It is against this backdrop that Omega is inviting parents, guardians, and educators to their Rhinebeck, New York campus from August 2– 4 for a residential, immersive parenting conference called, Hold On to Your Kids: Parenting in the 21^st Century. Omega is convening top leaders in related fields, including Gordon Neufeld, Susan Cain, and Rachel Simmons, to give parents the tools to maintain strong bonds with their children while navigating the never-before-seen issues that have come about in the digital age.

“At Omega, we understand that family relationships are central to how we develop and who we become in the world. We want to empower parents by giving them tools to enhance their capacity to maintain healthy relationships with their children, and deepen the lines of communication to stay connected,” said Carla Goldstein, chief external affairs officer at Omega and cofounder of the Omega Women’s Leadership Center. “At a time when parents are just trying to keep their heads above water in the unchartered world of the Internet, this conference gives them a chance to slow down and learn how to hold on to their kids without being a helicopter parent,” added Goldstein.

Hold On to Your Kids will include keynote addresses, small-group workshops, and experiential learning led by some of the most renowned leaders in the field of parenting and psychology.

Presenters includes Susan Cain, New York Times best-selling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking; Tony Porter, internationally recognized educator, activist, and cofounder of A Call to Men; Gordon Neufeld, developmental psychologist and author of Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers; Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder and senior adviser of Omega Institute and author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow; and Rachel Simmons, internationally acclaimed educator and author of Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. Sil Reynolds, a nurse practitioner, therapist, workshop leader, and coauthor of Mothering & Daughtering: Keeping Your Bond Strong Through the Teen Years will weave the event. More info about the presenters can be found here.

Topics covered will include:

• Holding On to Our Kids in a Peer-Oriented Society, led by Gordon Neufeld
• Raising an Introverted Child, led by Susan Cain
• Parenting Through Girl Drama, led by Rachel Simmons
• The Science of Attachment Parenting & How To Apply It in Everyday Parenting, led by Gordon Neufeld
• Raising Our Boys Outside the “Man Box,” led by Tony Porter
• On Parenting in a Digital Age, led by Gordon Neufeld
• Mentoring Boys, led by Tony Porter
• Grandparenting—Another Form of Parenting, led by Elizabeth Lesser
• On Creating An “Attachment” Village, led by Gordon Neufeld 

Parents have the option to enroll their children in Adventure Game for Kids (Ages 6–13) and their teens in Teen Rising: A Workshop For Teenagers: (Ages 14–17). Both workshops run concurrently with the parenting conference.

Reporters are invited to attend the conference. For more information, please contact Chrissa Pullicino, [email protected].

About Omega Institute for Holistic Studies

Founded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nation's most trusted source for wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 200 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomes more than 23,000 people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, New York, and at exceptional locations around the world. eOmega.org

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