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Some hope their children will be like sponges soaking up the truth and wisdom imparted by their parents. However appealing this philosophy might be, it seldom seems to catch on with their children.

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

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

Hurt people hurt people.

Whining and crying are employed by kids for the purpose of getting something. If it works, then it was worth the effort and will be repeated.

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

It's more effective to reward your child for being "good" (appropriate) than to punish him for being "bad" (inappropriate).

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

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

The more 2 parents differ in their approaches to discipline, the more likely it leads to trouble for the child.

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Trauma in Children

It is estimated that 40% of North American children will have at least one potentially traumatizing experience by the time they are 18 years old including:

– death of a parent or sibling

– ongoing abuse – physical, mental, sexual

– serious accident

– natural disaster

– witnessing domestic violence

– violent crime

How adults respond to children during and after traumatic events can make an enormous difference in the eventual outcome – both for good and for bad.

(Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience , Nov. 2005)

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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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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

“Rick’s approach is so logical. He helped us clearly define the problem, analyze what has happened and select the best strategy. We now feel empowered to do something positive for our kid”

(A.N. – Tillsonburg)