David Thomas presents:

Keynote Friday 7:30pm

Topic TBD

 

Breakout 1: Saturday 11:15am-12:30pm

Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys

• “Why can’t he focus?  Why is he always moving?”
• “He won’t talk.  I can tell he’s struggling, but he won’t open up.  Help!”
• “How can I help my son experience more success in school?”
• “He was so tender when he was young, and now he seems so angry.”
• “Is this normal for a boy his age?”

These are questions, declarations and some of the most common cries for help I hear every day in my counseling office.  They represent the playful, puzzling, passion-filled, sometimes exhausting, fascinating and mysterious journey of raising boys. Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys helps parents, grandparents, and educators understand and explore the hearts, minds and ways of boys and the vital role we play along his journey to manhood.  We will look at the different stages of his development and define what he needs from us in each of those stages.  

This class is packed full of practical suggestions for how to parent, teach and discipline more in tandem with the way he is designed rather than in opposition to it. Come enjoy some fresh insight and much-needed encouragement on the road to raising boys, from birth through adolescence. 

Breakout 2: Saturday 1:30-2:45pm

Understanding the Emotional Development of Young Children

This workshop will focus on understanding the emotional development of young children, the elements of emotion and how they process feelings. We will also explore temperament as a foundation for understanding emotion and our calling to be good stewards of children’s emotional and spiritual well-being. Parents and educators will also be introduced to the concept of reading between the lines as a means of understanding emotion in a child's behavior. The seminar will end with practical ideas for furthering a child's emotional development.