welcome image

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.

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.

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

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

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

If there is no relationship - nothing else matters !

"Cutting" is a visible sign to the world that you are hurting.

Being a parent of a teenager can cure a person of narcissism.

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

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

Learn more.

Parenting a FASD Child (age 5-7 years)

The main developmental task for this aged child is to develop confidence to attempt new things.

Guidelines for Caregivers

  • give age appropriate knowledge of FASD to the child
  • be ready for problems to intensify as his world expands
  • routine, consistency, help & repetition remain key
  • problems for siblings increase – eg. embarrassment, stealing, fighting
  • “subtle” lessons on social skills are ineffective
  • medication MAY soften some behaviour problems
  • sports may serve as an outlet
  • discipline needs to be immediate, short, parent supervised, and planned
  • child can create considerable stress within family

Back to Top

Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

This full day or 2 evening workshop will introduce you […]

Learn more

+ A Parent’s Guide to the Teenage Brain

  A teenager’s brain is not just an adult brain […]

Learn more

+ Reading Rescue

A program for children with reading problems

Learn more

+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

This workshop will present the facts, myths, misconceptions, controversy and […]

Learn more

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

Archive


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)