The parents' program and children's program will include the illuminating speakers and stimulating classes and activities characteristic of PG Retreat, but we are also in a beautiful natural setting, among historic buildings and natural lighting.

• Mind Over Matter (Adult session): Dr. Stuart will reveal how a child’s motivation and tolerance for challenge and frustration can be dramatically influenced by the ways adults offer praise for a gifted child’s performance. Dr. Stuart will present specific guidance to parents, educators and counselors to help them foster a gifted child’s motivation to learn and to face challenges. She will demonstrate how to enhance gifted children’s ability to tolerate frustration and the many other difficult feelings gifted children experience.
• Close to the Bone: Character and Temperament of the Highly Gifted with P. Susan Jackson
• Stress Management and Everyday Life: From Surviving to Thriving: (adult session) Stressors in the life of a gifted child abound. Some stressors are directly related to being gifted such as feelings of being different, understanding the nature of giftedness, and early moral concerns. Other aspects are indirectly related to giftedness and may include perfectionism, expectations of others, confusion over career aspirations as well as overexcitabilities. Stress management becomes essential, then, in aiding the gifted child in the journey toward wholeness. The relatively new field of Positive Psychology provides some direction in this process.
• Unexpected Consequences of Parenting in the PG Family: For many parents of PG children the journey of parenting hearkens back to their own developmental journey. Sometimes buried and sometimes celebrated, personal memories may emerge during the parenting process of living and acclimating to a world where differences are often unaccepted. In this session we will share experiences of recognizing and acknowledging the similarities and differences of our own life trajectory and that of our children. Bringing to awareness our fears and anxieties may help in preparing ourselves and our children for an unknown future. Similarly, we will examine our hopes and expectations for our children and the many ways we try to create optimal situations for our families to flourish.
• Exploring Big Ideas (Teen Session): Huge philosophical issues have piqued the interest and curiosity of mankind from ancient to modern times. Big ideas such as the nature of beauty, the nature of truth, and the nature of aesthetics have confounded the great thinkers of the ages. Additionally, questions of “What is the meaning of life?", "Where did we come from?", and "What is reality?", have given rise to many suppositions and speculation. This session focuses on those universal big ideas and will be guided by the thoughts and interests of the group. Participants are welcome to be actively engaged in the conversation or attend as a participant observer.
• Career Choices (Teen Session) with Dale Stuart
• The Sorting Hat (Children's session): Come gather and explore your inner Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin with other like-minded kids. Spend time examining how you are like or not like our archetypal friends from the Harry Potter series. Be open to what you will discover about yourself and each other as you get a chance to “try-on” your own sorting hat. Knowledge and love of the Harry Potter series highly recommended.
• Ooey-Gooey Fun (Children's session): Discover the world of ooey-gooey gloppy stuff like ooblek, gak, silly putty, salt dough and other sticky stuff. Follow a recipe and measure ounces, cups, teaspoons and table spoons. Roll up you sleeves and wiggle your fingers exploring various textures in basic kitchen chemistry and have some fun making messes with your friends.
• Once Upon a Time (Children's session): Everyone has a story to tell. Some are funny and some are scary. Some are family stories. Some are fairy tales. Some are adventure stories. Some are folk tales or tall tales. Some are joyful and some are sad.. Search your imagination and get ready to tell your favorite story. Come and listen and share with other storytellers.
• Animal Magic and You (Children's session): Do you love animals? Do you sometimes notice how you have qualities like certain animals you love? Or, qualities of certain animals you do not love as much? Join us as we identify and explore our inner animal sensibilities and how they can help us in the world. An understanding and appreciation for animals highly recommended.