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Many clinicians find it easier to tell parents their child has a brain-based disorder than suggest parenting changes. Jennifer Harris (psychiatrist)

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

"To be a man, a boy must see a man."  (J.R. Moehringer)

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

We should not medicate the boys so they fit the school; we should change the school to fit the boy. (Leonard Sax, M.D. Ph.D)

When a child is disregulated - is the time parents need to be regulated.

Parents are the external regulator for kids who cannot regulate themselves.

Whining and crying are employed by kids for the purpose of getting something. If it works, then it was worth the effort and will be repeated.

"Parents aren't the cause of ADHD, but they are part of the solution." (Kenny Handleman, M.D.)

Some hope their children will be like sponges soaking up the truth and wisdom imparted by their parents. However appealing this philosophy might be, it seldom seems to catch on with their children.

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“Executive Dysfunction” and ADHD

“Executive dysfunction” means an individual has difficulty “stopping” and taking the time to think through the possible consequences of an action and selecting one that is best. Another way of saying this is the child is very “impulsive”. By definition a child with ADHD has “executive dysfunction”. Our goal in helping him is to get him to “stop” long enough for the executive function to kick in. There are a number of approaches to facilitate […]

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Helping a Teen Moderate Stress

  HELPING A TEEN MODERATE & MANAGE STRESS                           “SPIT”  HAPPENS !   1. Listen                                   – without judging                   – try to understand and appreciate their concern                   – if event resulted from bad behaviour or poor judgment – it’s vital to avoid making matters worse by berating and punishing                         […]

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FASD – Mental Retardation

Mental retardation is the most debilitating feature of FASD but only about 50% of them actually fall into the retarded range of intelligence (IQ blow 70) This can present a significant problem to individuals with FASD because they may need special services but they do not qualify because their IQ scores are not below the cut off point and therefore not be diagnosed with FASD. A diagnosis can be useful because it makes it easier […]

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Frequently Asked Questions about ADD/ADHD

1. Is it true that boys have ADHD more often than girls? The short answer is “yes” – 3 to 6 times more boys. The longer answer is that girls may be under diagnosed because they typically display less severe social problems. Boys are more at risk of developing almost every behavioural or emotional problem. 2. Do ADHD children also have other significant problems? Yes. The following is an incomplete list of problems commonly seen […]

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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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See more of our workshops


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

“Rick’s approach is so logical. He helped us clearly define the problem, analyze what has happened and select the best strategy. We now feel empowered to do something positive for our kid”

(A.N. – Tillsonburg)