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

Hurt people hurt people.

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.

The best inheritance  parents can give their children is a few minutes of their time each day.

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

Criticism is not a motivator.

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

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

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

Learn more.

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

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)