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There has been an explosion in the prescribing of medication for very young children, particularly preschool and kindergarten boys (Juli Zito , Univ. of Maryland)

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

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

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

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

Hurt people hurt people.

The mistake that Sharon and I both made is we never set any boundaries.  (Ozzy Osbourne)

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

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.

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Suicide

THE NIGHTMARE of SUICIDE
Journal entry
“ I’m surprised I haven’t done it yet because I feel really terrible all the time. I just don’t have any courage but anyone else in my position would have already committed suicide.”       Rachel  age 15
                  – the peak age for suicide attempts is 16
                  – 19% of teens seriously consider suicide
                  – 6% actually attempt it
                  – only car accidents claim more teen lives than suicide
                  – in 90% of suicides there is an underlying psychiatric disorder
                                    – depression is most common
                                    – 50% of male suicides victims have depression
                                    – 70% of female suicides victims have depression
– there has been a 3 fold increase in teen suicides since 1960’s
– girls more likely to attempt suicide (2X)
– boys more likely to succeed (10X)
 
 
                  Why?      – increased drug / alcohol use
                                                      – breakdown in family
                                                      – more “pressured” world
                                                      – availability of guns
 
 
 – suicide is “contagious”
                  – other suicides result in clusters
                  – dramatizations of suicide (TV, movies, etc) are frequently followed by increased rate of suicide
                  – familial (combination of genetics & environment)
 
Suicide results from a convergence of factors
                  1. underlying psychiatric disorder
                  2. predisposition to suicidal thought
                  3. traumatic event
                                    – most common – relationship problems
                                                                        – school problems
                                                                        – trouble with law
                                                                        – bullying
                                                                        – pregnancy

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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

“I am no longer overwhelmed with a child who has unending discipline and behaviour problems.”

(P.S. – London)