Raising a kid, it can be argued, is harder than ever. Parents face scary realities on a daily basis — from bullying and gun violence to the influence of social media and tricky conversations about tough topics in the news. How can we help them navigate it all and grow up to be the kinds of kids we’d be proud to be friends with when they’re adults: honest, respectful, empathetic, resilient, intelligent, curious, self-sufficient, creative. In short: not assholes.
So at the beginning of this year, HuffPost Parents had a pipe dream that we could convene a group of like-minded parents to discuss how we find support as we raise the next generation of real leaders. That dream is now a reality.
On November 2, 2018, we’ll come together at The William Vale Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in a one-day event called How To Raise A Kid, aimed primarily at parents of kids who have survived the baby years and now have children who are starting to navigate the world on their own.
We’ll start with a welcome by journalist and fellow mom Alicia Menendez, followed by a chat with our editor-in-chief, Lydia Polgreen, and soccer star Abby Wambach, and then we’ll be treated to four dynamic, engaging panels — how to raise a kid who’s stronger than a bully; how to raise a screen-savvy kid; how to raise a kid who understands sex, consent & gender; and how to raise a kid who’s at home in the world — followed by lunch and a mother-daughter talk by Julie Wadler and her 11-year-old phenom daughter, Naomi. (If you missed her inspiring speech at the March For Our Lives Rally, watch it here.) Then we’ll have six intimate breakout sessions geared to answer your questions on sex, difference, race, money, discipline and modern families. Throughout the whole day, we’ll hear from world-renowned experts, children’s book authors, psychologists, and educators, among others about the issues that matter most to us as parents.
We couldn’t be more excited about the day and hope you are, too. If you’re in the area (or hell, even if you’re not), please consider this an invitation to join a new village in what will be a very exciting, fruitful day.