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

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.

It's more effective to reward your child for being "good" (appropriate) than to punish him for being "bad" (inappropriate).

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

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.

"Rules without relationship leads to rebellion" (Josh McDowell)

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

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

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)

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

Learn more.

Consequencing Teenagers

Identifying and following through on appropriate consequences is a necessary but challenging task   for many parents of teenagers . A consequence for inappropriate behaviour typically involves one of two directions:

a) removing a desirable ( example – removal of computer privileges)

b) adding an undesirable (example – extra chores)

Removing something the teen wants is usually more effective than adding something he/she doesn’t want.

Why? – often the teenager is already involved in a very busy schedule (school, part time jobs, athletics, etc) and there just isn’t time.

– it requires more of the parent’s time to supervise and monitor the added responsibilities

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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

“Our psychiatrist recommended Rick to help us sort out behaviour management issues for our autistic son. He was an invaluable help.”

(C.C. – Sarnia)