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Whining and crying are employed by kids for the purpose of getting something. If it works, then it was worth the effort and will be repeated.

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.

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

Criticism is not a motivator.

"Rules without relationship leads to rebellion" (Josh McDowell)

"Parents aren't the cause of ADHD, but they are part of the solution." (Kenny Handleman, M.D.)

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

Setting limits teaches your children valuable skills they will use the rest of their lives. One day, they will report to a job where their ability to follow rules will dictate their success.

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.

You cannot reason with someone who is being unreasonable.

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Teen Issues 2

The good old days when you were a teen aren’t as different today as you think.

For example, between 1978 and 2008

  • the average age for drinking alcohol for the first time went from 16.3 years of age  to 16.2
  • the age for smoking the first cigarette went from 15.2 years to 16.1
  • the age for smoking marijuana for the first time went from 18.4 years to 17.2
  • in 1991, 54 percent of high school students had had sexual intercourse
  • in 2005 the percentage was 46%

Today’s parents can rest assured that many of the issues they faced in adolescence are similar to the challenges their teens face today.

(U.S. data from Centre for  Disease Control)

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

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

“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)