welcome image

Children mimic well. They catch what they see better than they follow what they hear.

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 quickest way to change your child’s behaviour is to first change your own.

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

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.

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

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

If there is no relationship - nothing else matters !

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

Learn more.

Suicide – Warning Signs

WARNING SIGNS
 
– depression
– previous suicide attempts
– suicide of someone close
– talking of suicide
– preoccupation with death
– giving away possessions
– saying “Good bye” to family & friends
– cryptic statements “You won’t have to worry about me  anymore”
– listening to sad music
– drawing morbid pictures
– statements indicating feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness
– statements about being a burden to others
– loss of interest in activities
– risky behaviour (eg. driving, alcohol, drugs)
– sudden distinct improvement in mood ( the decision to kill self may relieve the burden)
– the association between substance abuse and suicide is strong
 
 
 
But the warning signs can create a false impression of probability
 
Even the experts are unreliable for even the next 24 hours
 
Trust your instincts
 
Be extra cautious if:
                              – a peer is suicidal
                              – child gives away possessions
                              – a close relationship is lost
 
What is the best way to determine if someone is suicidal ? (answer – ask them!)

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

“Implementing Rick’s techniques and adhering to them is exhausting, but it is a healthy exhaustion rather than the detrimental exhaustion I used to experience.”

(B.F. – Woodstock)