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

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

A tantruming toddler is a little ball of writhing muscle and incredible strength. It's like trying to carry a greased pig past a slop bucket.

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice. (Peggy O'Mara)

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

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

"To be a man, a boy must see a man."  (J.R. Moehringer)

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

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

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.

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Reading Rescue – the sequence – step 2 & 3

Step 2

Once the child can match and produce the correct sounds for the letters in grouping # 1, introduce the short sound “a” from list 2.

Step 3

The blending od sounds together is frequently a problem for some children. A Blending Book is used to address this problem. The child is shown a page with the letter “m” in view and asked to say that sound and hold it for a long time “mmmmmmmmm—-“. The teacher will undoubtedly need to model the correct way of saying “mmmmm”. The child is then shown how to hold the “m” sound and without stopping, slide into the “a” sound. The result should be a drawn out “mmmaaaaa” sound instead of separate sounds “m-a”.

The teacher will again need to model the correct pronunciation of the blended sounds. Once the child has mastered “maaa” sound, the third letter in the word is exposed and he is shown how to blend the 3 sounds together to make a 1 syllable word. Example : man, mat, map

there is a collection of short “a” words in the blending Book. It is again critical that the child achieve success and have fun (keep the lessons short, varied and use reinforcements). Practice the blending of the short “a” words until the child demonstrates a degree of mastery then introduce the other short vowel sounds in the same way at an appropriate pace. The sequence should be “a”, “o”, “u”, “i”, “e”.

The importance of mastering step 2 and 3 cannot be overstated. The blending of sounds together is the key to reading

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+ 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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