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Early intervention is always better than crisis management - but it is never too late to do the right thing.

"The thing that impresses me most about North America is the way parents obey their children"    (King Edward VII , 1841-1910)

Children fare better when expectations on them are clear and firm.

The more 2 parents differ in their approaches to discipline, the more likely it leads to trouble for the child.

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.

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)

There has been an explosion in the prescribing of medication for very young children, particularly preschool and kindergarten boys (Juli Zito , Univ. of Maryland)

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

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

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

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Behaviour Management (now available online)

Behavioural Management Systems’ renowned course is now offered  online or in person. This 6 hour course has been presented throughout Ontario to numerous school boards (public, separate & private), children’s mental health treatment centres, camp counsellors, First Nation reserves, daycare centres, community colleges, Children’s Aid Societies, etc. It is especially relevant to educational assistants assigned to work with students with concerning behaviour issues and can become an integral part of the student’s I.E.P. Participants in […]

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Medications for ADHD and Future Substance Abuse

ADHD MEDICATIONS AND FUTURE SUBSTANCE ABUSE I am frequently asked by parents of children taking stimulant medications for ADHD if they are at an increased risk for future substance abuse. Research suggests that children with ADHD do have a tendency towards future abuse problems at a rate 2 to 3 times that of children without ADHD, but the research does not indicate that it is the medication that causes this increased risk. Research recently published […]

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What Happens During a Psychiatric Assessment

What Does a Psychiatric Health Assessment Consist of?     1. conversation between a: – professionals – parents – teen (these conversations may take several hours or days) 2. may involve lab work     3. questionnaires       4. info from school, counsellors, etc.

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What is the Best Option for My Child?

The best option is the one that will work for your child. Each one of the approaches has strengths and weaknesses and each could be the “best” or the “worst” depending on specific circumstances. No one of the approaches will meet the needs of all children. In my opinion, the best course of action for a concerned parent may be to combine several options. The child’s pediatrician should be involved looking for abnormal medical conditions […]

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Prevalence of ADD / ADHD

    Various experts give different rates of prevalence but most say between 5 – 10 % of North American children have one or the other – that’s a lot. It means that there are probably 2 or 3 children in most classrooms that have one of these disorders – and school can be a very unfriendly place for a child with ADD / ADHD. The researchers tell us that about 70% of these children […]

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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)