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Setting limits teaches your children valuable skills they will use the rest of their lives. One day, they will report to a job where their ability to follow rules will dictate their success.

Good parenting requires sacrifice. Childhood lasts for only a few brief years , but it should be given priority while it is passing before your eyes

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.

Children today are under enormous pressures rarely experienced by their parents or grandparents. Many of today's children are being enticed to grow up too quickly and are encountering challenges for which they are totally unprepared.

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

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.

Relationships matter:  change comes through forming trusting relationships. People, not programs change people.

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

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

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)

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Contributing Factors to Teen Depression

Contributing Factors to Depression 1. Genes                – there is a genetic component                                 – most children of depressed parents do not become depressed but there is an increased risk                                                               […]

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Asperger’s

  Asperger’s Syndrome   What is it?             Asperger’s Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder that results in behavioural  characteristics that are best described as “odd” or “eccentric”. The cause is not  known although there appears to be a strong genetic component as it has a high heritability rate. There is no cure. There are, however interventions that can yield positive results.   History Dr. Hans Asperger (Austrian pediatrician and psychiatrist) observed 4 children in his practice […]

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Differential Diagnosis – could it be something other than depression?

  DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The symptoms outlined above could be caused by other conditions:                   eg.           – parasitic diseases                               – Lyme disease                                     – virus                                                           – mononucleosis                                     – brain diseases                                       – lesions, tumor                                     – allergic disorders                                – hypothyroidism                                     – chronic infections                         […]

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Professional Development

I have attended 3 separate day long conferences in the last few weeks that all basically had the same prescription for troubled and troubling youth. Annette Kussin (MSW) was speaking in London on “Attachment in Adolescence”. Stanley Kutcher (MD) was at CPRI in London and his topic was “The Developing Adoscent Brain” and Stuart Shanker (Ph.D) presented “Bringing Self Regulation into the Classroom” in Mississauga. All three of these individuals emphasized that caregivers must develop […]

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FASD and Early Adolescence (13-17 years)

The 2 main goals for parents during this stage are: 1.to prepare the young person to associate , identify and become a part of his community 2. to begin separation from parents Guidelines for Parents expect “normal” teen behaviour – clothes, hair style, music, etc (choose your battles wisely) expect your teen to resist your “help” or “advice” (it’s normal) teens frequently become socially isolated – rejected by peer group your teen may gravitate to […]

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

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

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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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+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

This workshop will present the facts, myths, misconceptions, controversy and […]

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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

“I am no longer overwhelmed with a child who has unending discipline and behaviour problems.”

(P.S. – London)