welcome image

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

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

Parenting style matters - a lot!

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

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

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

We should not medicate the boys so they fit the school; we should change the school to fit the boy. (Leonard Sax, M.D. Ph.D)

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

"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.

Learn more.

FASD – Late Childhood (aged 8 – 12)

The main developmental task for children of this age is to develop a sense of industry. Family stresses are likely to increase as FASD children can be exhausting. Caregivers will benefit from counselling and respite care may become necessary. Peer and sibling relationships can become more difficult because the child may have legitimate  difficulty with following the rules, turn taking, cheating, stealing, breaking things and being unpredictable. Children with FASD do not understand the feelings of others and he/she may find structured groups to be beneficial (eg. Cubs, Brownies, karate, etc.)

Sexuality – Puberty is right around the corner which can bring a new set of concerns to parents. Because children with FASD have trouble understanding boundaries the risk of being sexually abused or aggressive increases. They have trouble cueing into social norms and are frequently very impulsive. Open discussion about sexuality at this stage makes discussing these issues in the teen years easier.

School – School will probably continue to be a area of concern and I recommend that the parents and teacher have a communication system in place to check on work frequently. Worksheets with a small amount on each page and breaking the assignments into small sections will help the child remain focused. Computers, calculators, tape recorders etc. can increase his/her attention span and oral exams may be beneficial.

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

“You have changed our life! Thanks, it needed changing!”

(T.N. – London)