welcome image

Parents are the external regulator for kids who cannot regulate themselves.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more.

CYC Job Placement

Best wishes to the Fanshawe College (Woodstock campus) Child and Youth Counsellor students who are about to begin a 4 month work placement. These work experiences in the community allow students to put the theoretical knowledge they gain from their academic courses into practice in the real world. The CYC program is a 3 year diploma course with three semesters in class and 3 semesters in the field. It is my privilege to be a […]

Read complete blog post

Depression – What It Is & What It Is Not

Depression is not: – a sign of weakness – a punishment for past wrongs – a flaw in a person’s character or  personality – the young person’s fault       It is an illness that results in: – emotional changes – physical changes – cognitive changes – behavioural changes         HOW COMMON IS IT ? – between 5-15% of all older children &  teens – a high school with 1000 students […]

Read complete blog post

The Golden rules of Temper Tantrums

Tantrums are a normal part of a child’s development. Always remember the boy Scouts motto: Be Prepared. Never look around at the faces of those people watching you when your child is having a tantrum in public. The more involved you are with your child’s tantrum, the longer it will last. Remember to catch him being good as often as you can. Understand that all children want their parents’ love and attention. Move on and […]

Read complete blog post

Depression – the stress “triggers”

  THE STRESS “TRIGGERS”   “Bad” things happen to kids                   – 1/2 of Canadian families go through divorce                   – 1/4 of Canadian women report having been sexually abused                   – parents, siblings, friends die   The overwhelmingly majority of children are remarkably resilient and emerge from the “bad” things relatively unscathed.   Those predisposed to anxiety and depression sometimes develop major depression after a stressful event.       Studies with animals corroborate […]

Read complete blog post

Consequencing Teenagers

Identifying and following through on appropriate consequences is a major part of the job description for parents of teenagers. A consequence for inappropriate behaviour typically involves one of two options: a) removing a desirable (example – removal of computer privileges) b) adding an undesirable (example – adding a chore) Removing something the teen wants is usually more effective and easier to administer and monitor than adding something he/she doesn’t want. An effective consequence must involve […]

Read complete blog post




Back to Top

Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

This full day or 2 evening workshop will introduce you […]

Learn more

+ Lick Your Kids

  “Lick Your Kids” (figuratively not literally) (2 hours) First […]

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

+ 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.

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

“Rick’s approach is so logical. He helped us clearly define the problem, analyze what has happened and select the best strategy. We now feel empowered to do something positive for our kid”

(A.N. – Tillsonburg)