Clinical psychologists Ronna Smith-Craig and Steve Craig bring their years of therapeutic expertise to the Conference to help attendees identify their ultimate goals for raising their children, and then present a template for how to achieve those goals. Stressing processes that build self-esteem, authoritative discipline, cooperative co-parenting, and potentially avoidable pitfalls, Drs. Smith-Craig and Craig empower their audience to become more effective parents.

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Blending families involves many unique challenges. Doing so means that all involved are thrust into confusing roles. Suddenly being called a parent by someone else’s child doesn’t necessarily mean that you are instantly regarded as one. Alliances and coalitions develop as two groups from two different family cultures live under one roof. Participants of this workshop will learn about these and many more difficult scenarios and how to navigate through difficult conversations that are typical of blended families. Insights and tools will be discussed.

We’ll take a closer look at how fathers are portrayed in TV, ads, books, movies and discuss the sometimes subtle messages about fathers and fathering. We’ll also look at media’s messages to our kids.

Please join us for an interactive discussion of topics relevant to single fathers, including how to manage communications with the children’s mother, how to balance work and family, how to be involved at school, how to deal with new relationships (both by the mother and the father), putting together a parenting support network of friends and family, and how to address problems the children may have in cooperation with the mother. The workshop will feature a moderated panel of current or past single fathers who will offer strategies and solutions.

Fathers often times feel clueless when it comes to understanding the nuances of “girl world.”

There are so many challenges to raising a daughter in today’s world. Between, Twitter and Facebook and social struggles, fathers feel unclear on how to support their daughters. This panel of undergraduate women will shine the light on issues girls face and advice on how to stay connected to your daughter.

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Fathering sons is not a competitive sport and bringing the boys into manhood is a perilous challenge. Hear from young men themselves: how they were fathered as they walked, slipped, fell, and pushed their way into young manhood.

Tom’s Fathers Forum is a dads-only exploration of the current issues that matter most to today’s fathers. Tom will facilitate a wide-ranging discussion that focuses on topics raised by workshop participants.

The 6 Husbands

Life, Fatherhood and Marriage are not marathons; they’re decathlons.  They’re a process which requires different skills at different times.  For example, through each stage of the adult male’s life there are changing roles, expectations, and ways of communicating as a husband and a father.  This workshop explains the six stages the mature man evolves through (Getting Started, Young Married Couples, The Baby Years, Family Ties, Empty Nesting, and The Golden Years) and details the steps successful men use to ensure that they grow and change together as partners and parents.

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Join us for an interactive session in which fathers will learn how to use the Eight Weeks discipline system together with their own styles to develop a simple and effective strategy to head off , and handle, discipline problems for children of all ages. Fathers will have an opportunity to present their own toughest discipline problems for discussion.

Interactively explore the Four Wells of Power: the realms of the King – Warrior – Magician – Lover. The masterful sources of vitality and purpose from which the Man in the Father draws his strength and conviction.