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Relationships matter:  change comes through forming trusting relationships. People, not programs change people.

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

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.

Criticism is not a motivator.

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

If you are headed in the wrong direction as a parent - you are allowed to make a U-turn.

The best inheritance  parents can give their children is a few minutes of their time each day.

Early intervention is always better than crisis management - but it is never too late to do the right thing.

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.

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Tactics for Tantrums (Part 2)

    Tactic # 3 The “I” Approach This method is related to the previous “I Feel” technique. For the child who is more verbal and beginning to reason, a simple explanation of the parent’s feelings often help; for example, “It makes me unhappy (or uneasy, nervous, angry, upset) to see you act like this.” This provides another context  for encouraging expression of feelings in terms of “I”. That is, there is more than a […]

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Child & Youth Worker Program -Fanshawe College (Woodstock)

    The CYW academic semester is winding down for another year. It is such a pleasure to share child development and  management ideas with so many young and enthusiastic minds. I wish all of them the very best as they continue their education. Next up in their training is a 4 month work placement in local schools, group homes, or agencies where they will have an opportunity to put the theory they have been […]

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Foster / Adoption Parent Training

          I wish to thank Carrie Davidson of the Brant County CAS for inviting me to share ideas with your foster/adoption parents on March 27. The topic was “Fostering – Take This Job and Shove Love it”. We looked at a unique perspective on handling the stress in our everyday lives and the added stress of taking children into our homes. Foster / adoption parents are incredible people ?

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FREE WORKSHOP

        I am pleased to once again be invited by the Parent Council of Davenport Public School in Aylmer to present a free workshop on April 9. The Parent Council has opened this training up to anyone who has an interest in teenagers. Title:    Parenting a Teenager Without Losing Your Mind Place:  Davenport Public School 80 Rutherford Ave. Aylmer, Ontario Date:  April 9, 2013 Time:  6:30 – 8:30 P.M. Topics:  Developmental […]

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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 […]

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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

“I wish we had found Rick 2 years ago. We could have saved ourselves and our son a lot of trouble.”

(T.T. – Byron)