Hold On to Your Kids - Gabor Maté & Gordon Neufeld

In Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers, physician Gabor Maté and clinical psychologist Gordon Neufeld examine how modern children increasingly look to their peers rather than their parents for values, identity and direction, a shift the authors call "peer orientation". They argue that this trend undermines family bonds, fuels anxiety and alienation, and interferes with healthy emotional development. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, the authors offer practical strategies for parents to rebuild strong attachment with their children, reclaim their role as the primary source of guidance and security, and set healthy limits at home. This updated edition adds a new chapter addressing the parenting challenges posed by smartphones, social media and the aftermath of the pandemic.