Maggie Hamilton shares an insider’s view on our children’s 21st century issues.

What kind of world are our boys to growing up in? Why are growing numbers of boys suffering body image and self-esteem problems? Why do they feel worthless without the latest branded toy, game or item of clothing? What makes soft drinks, snacks and fast foods so attractive? Why are they drawn to countless acts of violence on TV, in movies and in computer games? What impact does our highly sexualised climate, our emphasis on success and money, have on them as they grow? And why are so many boys vulnerable to cyber bullying and to porn?

Why are girls as young as five years old concerned about their looks and addicted to shopping? Why are they having sex and binge-drinking so young, responding to chat-room predators, and bullying their peers via email and text messages? Why are depression, cutting and eating disorders on the rise, and why, with so much choice, do so many just want to marry young and have babies?

Maggie Hamilton asks these and many other vital questions, as well as providing numerous tips for parents and educators on how to create a more promising future for our children.

Maggie Hamilton

Writer, teacher and publisher Maggie Hamilton gives regular talks, lectures and workshops throughout Australia and New Zealand; writes for magazines; is a keen observer of social trends; has a passion for the art of living meaningfully, and is a regular media commentator.

Maggie Hamilton’s working life has encompassed the public and private sectors, and includes senior roles in book publishing and with the ABC. Her professional commitments have included serving on the executive committee of the Sydney Peace Foundation and as member of the organising committee for the Federation Australian Women’s History Project, the Office for the Status of Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Maggie’s many books include What Men Don’t Talk About And Why, based on her research into the lives of real men and boys and how they see their world. What’s Happening to Our Girls? based on two years’ research into the twenty-first century lives of girls, presents an insider’s view into the challenges girls are currently experiencing, and the solutions to these issues. In her newly completed book What’s Happening to Our Boys? Maggie puts the lives of our boys under the microscope, uncovering the issues they struggle with, and how best they can be supported.

Pre-paid bookings essential. Adults $8.80, pensioners and students $6.60 (passes must be shown). Enquiries phone 9978 4091.