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

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

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

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

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

If it  was going to be easy to raise kids, it never would have started with something called "labour".

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

You cannot reason with someone who is being unreasonable.

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

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Brain Facts # 5

Lifelong Neuroplasticity

 

Historically, it was thought that the human brain was a fixed and essentially limited system that only degraded with age. This view saw the brain as a rigid machine in many ways, pretty much set after childhood. By contrast, we have now come to appreciate that the human brain is actually a highly dynamic and constantly reorganizing system, capable of being shaped and reshaped across the entire lifespan. It is believed that every experience alters the brain’s organization at some level. The central concept in this new approach is neuroplasticity, the brain’s lifelong capacity to change and rewire itself in response to the stimulation of learning and experience. This includes both the lifelong ability to create new neurons  and to create new connections between neurons .

A young brain allows for fast learning, as well as for potentially faster repair. As we age, the rate of neuroplasticity declines, but does not come to a halt.  As the noted neuroscientist, Dr. James Zull  puts it: “We now know that every brain can change, at any age. There  is really no upper limit on learning since the neurons seem to be capable of growing new connections whenever they are used repeatedly.”

Lifelong neuroplasticity has major consequences for brain health and fitness. It means that our lifestyle and actions play a meaningful role in how brains physically change throughout life. Neuroplasticity gives us the power to resist the effects of decline or disease by supporting our ability to accumulate knowledge and experiences.

CLASSROOM & HOMEWORK TIP for SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

Once children are in school, adults tend to be preoccupied with whether they are learning their alphabet and arithmetic. But if a child is having learning difficulties, the first thing we need to look at is not his letters and numbers but his ability to pay attention and to regulate himself. If a child doesn’t have this ability, then we need to work on that ability with the child. You cannot jump over this vital internal milestone. There is no point in pushing a child to learn how to spell triangle or add 15 + 27 before he learns how to look, listen and stay calm. First things first.

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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

“We are foster parents who took in a 13 year old girl (going on 18!) and she ran us through the wringer. Rick helped us learn how to set limits that made the difference.”

(G.E. – Strathroy)