Question 1

What is Hold On to Your Kids about?

Accepted Answer

Hold On to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté examines how children increasingly look to peers rather than parents for guidance, values, and identity—a phenomenon called "peer orientation." The book argues this shift undermines family cohesion and healthy development, making children overly conformist and alienated. Neufeld and Maté provide strategies to reclaim parental influence by strengthening attachment bonds and making the parent-child relationship the foundation of effective parenting.

Question 2

Who are the authors of Hold On to Your Kids?

Accepted Answer

Hold On to Your Kids is co-authored by **Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D.**, an international authority on child development, and **Gabor Maté, M.D.**, a bestselling author and physician. Neufeld has over 30 years of research and clinical experience in attachment theory and child psychology. Together, they combine insights from psychology, anthropology, neurology, and their personal parenting experiences to address the crisis of weakened parent-child connections in modern society.

Question 3

Who should read Hold On to Your Kids?

Accepted Answer

Hold On to Your Kids is essential for parents of toddlers through teenagers who feel they're losing influence over their children. It's particularly valuable for parents considering homeschooling, those struggling with defiant behavior, or families noticing their children prioritize peer approval over family values. Beyond parents, educators, counselors, and anyone seeking to understand modern attachment challenges and cultural shifts in child development will gain valuable insights.

Question 4

Is Hold On to Your Kids worth reading?

Accepted Answer

Hold On to Your Kids offers groundbreaking insights into attachment parenting and peer influence that many readers find transformative and eye-opening. Reviewers describe it as "the best parenting book" they've read, praising its ability to explain root causes of family disconnection. However, some readers find the book overly repetitive and recommend focusing on key chapters like 5 and 17. Despite pacing concerns, the core concepts about prioritizing connection over correction resonate deeply with most parents.

Question 5

What is peer orientation in Hold On to Your Kids?

Accepted Answer

Peer orientation describes children's shift in attachment from parents to peers, making friends the primary source of values, identity, and behavioral codes. Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté identify this as a fundamental threat to effective parenting and healthy child development. When children become peer-oriented, they become overly conformist, desensitized, and alienated, prioritizing being "cool" over family values. The authors argue this cultural shift has occurred over the past 70 years, replacing traditional parent-child attachment structures.

Question 6

What is the main message of Hold On to Your Kids?

Accepted Answer

The central message of Hold On to Your Kids is that **the parent-child relationship should be the highest priority** in parenting, with connection taking precedence over correction. Neufeld and Maté emphasize that effective parenting depends not on techniques or discipline strategies, but on who the parent is to the child. Children need strong attachment to parents to resist peer influence and mature properly. The book advocates for "reattaching" to children through consistent, multifaceted connections rather than pushing premature independence.

Question 7

What is counterwill in Hold On to Your Kids?

Accepted Answer

Counterwill is an instinctive resistance to being controlled that manifests when children feel coerced or forced. Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté explain that understanding counterwill helps parents navigate disobedience linked to peer influence and weakened attachment. When parents prioritize teaching lessons or discipline while upset, they trigger counterwill and risk damaging the relationship. Instead of fighting this natural resistance, parents should focus on strengthening connection first, which naturally reduces oppositional behavior and allows healthy guidance to occur.

Question 8

How does Hold On to Your Kids define unconditional acceptance?

Accepted Answer

Hold On to Your Kids defines unconditional acceptance as conveying that **the child is more important than what they do**—the relationship matters more than conduct or achievement. This is most difficult yet most crucial when children disappoint us or violate our values. Neufeld and Maté warn against trying to "teach lessons" when upset, as this makes children anxious about the relationship. Unconditional acceptance means affirming values at their deepest level by declaring the child's inherent worth regardless of behavior, supporting connection rather than creating distance.

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Hold On to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld Summary

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Mehr wie dieses

Wichtigste Erkenntnisse

When Children Turn Away: The Hidden Attachment Crisis

The Cultural Breakdown and Attachment Void

When Parenting Loses Its Power

The Flight from Feeling and Emotional Vulnerability

Arrested Development and Maturity

Reclaiming Our Children: Building Bridges to Connection

Rebuilding the Attachment Village

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