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

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

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

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

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 is what we say and do when we're angry that creates the very model our children will follow when dealing with their own frustrations.

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

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

Simple rules adhered to when children are young can prevent more serious problems later.

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FASD – Wisdom from Long Ago

“You will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink.”

( Judges 13:7)

In ancient Carthage, a ritual developed that forbade the drinking of wine by the bridal couple so that a defective child would not be conceived.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (500 BC)

“Foolish, drunken and harebrained women most often bring forth children like unto themselves, morose and languid.”                                                                                                                                 (Aristotle  350 BC)

“Parental drinking is a cause of weak, feeble and distempered children.”  (Royal College of Physicians 1726)

“Infants born to alcoholic mothers sometimes had a starved, shriveled and imperfect look.”

(British House of Commons 1834)

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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

“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)