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"Parents aren't the cause of ADHD, but they are part of the solution." (Kenny Handleman, M.D.)

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

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

Children today are under enormous pressures rarely experienced by their parents or grandparents. Many of today's children are being enticed to grow up too quickly and are encountering challenges for which they are totally unprepared.

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

Good parenting requires sacrifice. Childhood lasts for only a few brief years , but it should be given priority while it is passing before your eyes

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

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

There has been an explosion in the prescribing of medication for very young children, particularly preschool and kindergarten boys (Juli Zito , Univ. of Maryland)

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

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Ritalin – the good, the bad and the ugly

First the Good – the following is a list of commonly observed behavioural changes when a child with ADD/ADHD begins using a stimulant medication (eg. Ritalin, Concerta, Dexedrine, Adderall)

  • decreased motor activity
  • decreased aggression
  • decreased defiance
  • less impulsive
  • makes fewer careless mistakes
  • grades improve
  • more compliant
  • improved relationships
  • improved concentration
  • improved attitude

The “experts” really don’t understand exactly how stimulant medications work but it appears to alter the neurochemical functioning of the brain, especially the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. It takes approximately 20 -30 minutes to take effect and positive results will last about 4 hours. Many children require a second dose at noon hour at school in order for them to remain productive and cooperative for the entire school day. One study that I am aware of reported that the compliance level of a group of children with ADHD before their Ritalin pill was 40% and 1/2 hour after their pill, the level increased to 90%.

Dr. Martin Boren M.D. states, “If a child has an attention or hyperactive disorder, then he has a chemical problem and needs Ritalin as much as a diabetic needs insulin.”

Stimulant medications are performance enhancers and the positive effects will be evident in anyone who takes this drug regardless of a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD.

What parents need most are ideas, because with ideas with ideas we get options. Rick Harper has been providing ideas to parents for over 40 years.

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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 are foster parents who took in a 13 year old girl (going on 18!) and she ran us through the wringer. Rick helped us learn how to set limits that made the difference.”

(G.E. – Strathroy)