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

Children do not develop on their own - they only develop within relationships.

Children fare better when expectations on them are clear and firm.

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

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

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

"The thing that impresses me most about North America is the way parents obey their children"    (King Edward VII , 1841-1910)

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

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

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Ten Things to do with a Pencil – – if you’re ADHD

10 Things To Do With A Pencil ( . . . if you’re ADHD) Fly it through the air Roll it across your desk and let it fall to the floor Stick it in the screw of the chair Eat it Poke your neighbor Stick it up your nose Pick the threads of your socks Sharpen it  . . sharpen it again . . sharpen it again Pretend it is a drum stick 10.Lose it […]

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Behavioural Characteristics of FASD

Behaviour problems with individuals with FASD are a major concern for parents and schools: learning disabilities – academic – ADD / ADHD – speech and language – information processing – patterning problems poor impulse control inability to relate behaviour to consequences no sense of connection to societal rules poor short term memory inconsistent knowledge base poor personal boundaries confusion under pressure difficulty grasping abstract concepts inability to manage his/her anger inability to manage other’s anger […]

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Frequency of Depression

  Depression is increasing in numbers. Is it because: incidents of depression is increasing more services are available families are more willing to seek help greater recognition Depression in adults is relatively easy to diagnose: there is a pronounced change in mood changes persist adults usually acknowledge the problem adults have some mature insights they are usually motivated to “fix” it Depression in young people is harder to diagnose is he/she depressed or just being […]

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Diagnostic Criteria for FASD

All of the below must be present for a confident diagnosis: growth deficiency characteristic facial features central nervous system problems – microcephaly (small head) – hyperactivity – learning disabilities – developmental disabilities – seizures – mental retardation The characteristic facial features are most obvious between 8 months of age and 8 years. Diagnosis becomes more difficult in older individuals because puberty changes facial and body features. Frequently a diagnosis of FASD is made without clear […]

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FASD – 4 Bad Things That Can Happen

Four bad things can happen to a developing baby exposed to alcohol in utero: – functional deficits – growth deficiency – malformation – death Full blown FASD is only the “tip of the iceberg”. The largest  part of the iceberg is comprised of those individuals who appear “normal” but are unable to meet their potential. In previous years these individuals may have been diagnosed as having FAE (Fetal Alcohol Effect). FAE is a term that […]

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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

“We were so naive. We thought our son’s poor behaviour was just a phase he was passing through. Thankfully you led us ‘out of the wilderness'”

(N.S. – London)