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"Cutting" is a visible sign to the world that you are hurting.

"Moody" and "unpredictable" are adjectives parents will often use when referring to their teenagers.

Children do not develop on their own - they only develop within relationships.

Wouldn't it be nice if children would simply listen and learn.

It's more effective to reward your child for being "good" (appropriate) than to punish him for being "bad" (inappropriate).

The challenge of adolescence is to balance the right of the parents to feel they are in charge with the need of the adolescent to gain independence.

If you (parents) tend to overreact to your child's misbehaviour - your child learns that he can't trust you. Mom, Dad, stay regulated!

If you are headed in the wrong direction as a parent - you are allowed to make a U-turn.

The quickest way to change your child’s behaviour is to first change your own.

The mistake that Sharon and I both made is we never set any boundaries.  (Ozzy Osbourne)

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Toilet Training (part 3)

    You would be wise to read my 2 previous postings about toilet training as a review before attempting this actual routine. Remember you can’t go far wrong: if you don’t start too early if you don’t force the child if you don’t panic Step # 1 Does he know he’s wet? Modern disposable diapers are too comfortable. I recommend that you use training pants as wet pants are cold, itchy and uncomfortable. You […]

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Toilet Training (part 2)

    As I stated in my previous blog many toilet training difficulties are really non problems. They stem from either: unrealistic expectations misleading advice A child’s neurological and physiological “systems” must be sufficiently developed in order to gain control of his bladder and bowels and there is a wide variation of ages when these 2 systems converge to make toilet training successful. At around 18 months of age the child’s reflex control begins to […]

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Toilet Training (part 1)

    “I am a grown man with a university degree. I consider myself to be mature, well adjusted and able to exist adequately in our modern society . As such, I never would have believed the exhilaration and pride  I experienced when my son did his first “slam dunk” in the potty” (a parent of a toddler) Often times parents get in too much of a hurry to toilet train their child resulting in […]

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Homework Hassles (part 2)

    There are 2 kinds of homework resistors and each requires a different response: the work is too hard for the child the child views the work as irrelevant, not important or boring 1) If the work is too hard, the child has been placed in an impossible position and his homework resistance will continue and probably escalate. The teacher needs to ensure the work is not beyond the child’s ability and the parent […]

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Homework Hassles (part 1)

    Homework can be a major source of conflict between children and parents. Some children are avoiders, some procastinators, some fail to bring their work home and some do as little as possible. Some do  it too fast and carelessly and some take too long. Frequent battles over homework are harmful to healthy family life. Homework serves two purposes: to provide opportunities to practice and improve skills to teach responsibility, self discipline, independence, perseverance […]

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

This full day or 2 evening workshop will introduce you […]

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+ Lick Your Kids

  “Lick Your Kids” (figuratively not literally) (2 hours) First […]

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+ A Parent’s Guide to the Teenage Brain

  A teenager’s brain is not just an adult brain […]

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+ Reading Rescue

A program for children with reading problems

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+ Taming a Toddler

Many parents wonder what hit them when their sweet little baby turns into an unreasonable toddler – ideas for dealing with mealtime, bedtime, temper tanturms, toilet training, noncompliance, etc.

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Contact

2720 Rath Street, Putnam, Ontario
NOL 2BO

Phone: (519) 485-4678
Fax: (519) 485-0281

Email: info@rickharper.ca

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Parents' Comments

“Our psychiatrist recommended Rick to help us sort out behaviour management issues for our autistic son. He was an invaluable help.”

(C.C. – Sarnia)