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

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.

"Cutting" is a visible sign to the world that you are hurting.

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

Being a parent of a teenager can cure a person of narcissism.

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

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

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

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

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.

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Helping Kids Through Traumatic Events

HELPING A SUSCEPTIBLE KID
THROUGH A HORRIBLE EVENT
Example – September 11
                  – limit TV – constant bombarding of images  reinforces anxiety
                  – message should be clear:
                                                                        – this is horrible
                                                                        – it’s frightening
                                                                        – but we are not helpless or hopeless
                                                                        – there are things being done
                                                                        – the situation will improve
                                                                        – the government is taking steps
                                                                        – we can help
                                                                        – parents remain calm
 
 
 
Most often it’s a “private” event that triggers depression:
                  – loss of some kind – death, divorce, relationship
                  – dependent life event – one where the teen did something that results in a horrible event
                  – independent life event – teen did nothing to cause the event
 
 
 

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

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

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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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+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

This workshop will present the facts, myths, misconceptions, controversy and […]

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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

“He is a wealth of knowledge coupled with first hand experience.”

(E.K. – London)