Gabor Maté

Gordon Neufeld

‘Maté’s book will make you examine your behaviour in a new light’ Guardian ‘bold, wise and deeply moral. [Maté] is a healer to be cherished’ Naomi Klein, author of No Logo and The Shock Doctrine Children take their lead from their friends: being ‘cool’ matters more than anything else. Shaping values, identity and codes of behaviour, peer groups are often far more influential than parents. But this situation is far from natural, and it can be dangerous – it undermines family cohesion, interferes with healthy development, and fosters a hostile and sexualized youth culture. Children end up becoming conformist, anxious and alienated. In Hold on to Your Kids, acclaimed physician and bestselling author Gabor Maté joins forces with Gordon Neufeld, a psychologist with a reputation for penetrating to the heart of complex parenting. Together they pinpoint the causes of this breakdown and offer practical advice on how to ‘reattach’ to sons and daughters, establish the hierarchy at home, make children feel safe and understood, and earn back your children's loyalty and love. This updated edition also addresses the unprecedented parenting challenges posed by the rise of digital devices and social media. By helping to reawaken our instincts, Maté and Neufeld empower parents to be what nature intended: a true source of contact, security and warmth for their children.

Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers

Hold on to Your Kids

The rapid growth of technology and society in recent decades have lead to a breakdown of ‘The village’. Families have become secluded and independent forcing children to turn to peers for community. 

Nicole Neuman

When circumstances change more quickly than our culture can adapt to, customs and traditions disintegrate. 

Hold on to Your Kids quotes

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