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Parenting style matters - a lot!

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.

Don't wait for him to turn 10 before you reveal that you are not in fact the hired help whose job it is to clean up after him.

If you (parents) tend to overreact to your child's misbehaviour - your child learns that he can't trust you. Mom, Dad, stay regulated!

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.

"Unexpressed feeling never die. They are buried alive and come back later in ugly ways." (Stephen Covey)

"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.)

Criticism is not a motivator.

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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
                               without taking corrective action
                  – critical that teen know you are on his/her side
 
2. Don’t Minimize
                  – be empathetic & open
                  – what might be “No Big Deal” to you may be to him/her
 
3. Be a Reality Check
                  – this is balancing empathy
                  – do not allow his/her unrealistic negative thoughts to dominate
                  – important to move past the “victim” role
 
4. Give Space
                  – teen needs a safe place to feel bad and express those  feelings
                  – “we’ll get through this”

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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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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)