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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.

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

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

Adolescence can be the cruelest place on earth. It can really be heartless.  ( Tori Amos)

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.

The teenage years require a delicate balance between the young person's need to gain independence, and the parent's need to retain authority.

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

Criticism is not a motivator.

A tantruming toddler is a little ball of writhing muscle and incredible strength. It's like trying to carry a greased pig past a slop bucket.

Removing a child from a traumatic environment does not remove the trauma from the child's memory.

Learn more.

Behaviour Management

 

 

First the good news!

Children’s behaviour is strongly influenced by the positive and negative consequences that immediately follow from certain actions. If you can set appropriate expectations for behaviour and get the consequences right, your children will follow your household rules – most of the time anyway.

Now the bad news . . .  it’s the same news!

If whining or throwing tantrums gets your kids something they want, that’s what they’ll do. You may not think of nagging as a way of rewarding your child for misbehaving, but even yelling can actually encourage the behaviour you’re trying to stop, especially if that’s the best way for your child to get your attention. Completely ignoring the problem behaviour is usually the most effective way to get it to stop – if you can stick with it long enough.

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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

“Our daughter was the joy of our life until she turned 13, then all hell broke loose. Rick helped us understand what was happening to her and we made some adjustments that helped us get through it. She’s now in University and doing well.”

(D.A. – St. Thomas)