welcome image

You cannot reason with someone who is being unreasonable.

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

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

If there is no relationship - nothing else matters !

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)

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

"To be a man, a boy must see a man."  (J.R. Moehringer)

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

"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 and Early Adolescence (13-17 years)

The 2 main goals for parents during this stage are:

1.to prepare the young person to associate , identify and become a part of his community

2. to begin separation from parents

Guidelines for Parents

  1. expect “normal” teen behaviour – clothes, hair style, music, etc (choose your battles wisely)
  2. expect your teen to resist your “help” or “advice” (it’s normal)
  3. teens frequently become socially isolated – rejected by peer group
  4. your teen may gravitate to a negative peer group that encourages high risk behaviour
  5. your child will still require extensive learning assistance
  6. he / she may begin to realize the extent of their limitations

– unable to babysit

– unable to pass driver’s test

– can’t keep up with peers

7. he / she may begin to actually grieve at his own sense of loss and the permanence of the                                  disabilities

8. parents must move towards “letting go” – summer camp may be a good start

9. problems within the marriage sometimes surface at this point

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

“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)