welcome image

When a child is disregulated - is the time parents need to be regulated.

Early intervention is always better than crisis management - but it is never too late to do the right thing.

Hurt people hurt people.

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

The quickest way to change your child’s behaviour is to first change your own.

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.

You cannot reason with someone who is being unreasonable.

Don't wait for him to turn 10 before you reveal that you are not in fact the hired help whose job it is to clean up after him.

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.

Learn more.

Teen Issues # 3

  Every teenager rebels against authority at some point – talks back, breaks curfew or disobeys. It goes with the territory – it’s normal development. But many teens go beyond normal adolescent rebellion to engage in out-or-control or dangerous behaviour. If one of those teens is yours, you’ve probably lived through years of conflicting advice and pat solutions that haven’t led to lasting change. One source that I have found useful in assisting parents is […]

Read complete blog post

Rewarding Behaviour

    Consistent, small rewards for small achievements work much better than large rewards for big goals, especially for younger children. After all, you wouldn’t expect your child to learn to read if you paid him no attention until he’d finished his first book. You would indicate your pleasure along the way.  Why set such a high expectation for behavioural self-control? Food and toys are often the first rewards that come to mind, but they […]

Read complete blog post

Preventing Teen Suicide

FACTORS THAT FACILITATE SUICIDE                   – an impulsive personality                   – neurochemical imbalance                   – lack of strong family ties                   – social isolation                   – family history of suicide                   – recent suicide of someone else                   – easy access to method                   – agitated mental state         FACTORS THAT INHIBIT SUICIDE                    -strong family and social support                   – being around others                   – religious taboos against suicide                   – […]

Read complete blog post

Depression & Discipline

CONFLICT AND DISCIPLINE   – conflict in a home with a teenager is inevitable – challenge for parents is to balance firmness with support and encouragement -parenting a depressed teen is particularly challenging                   – “walking on eggshells”                   – scared of pushing too far   TIPS 1. “Pause” button                                     – don’t get sucked into full-scale war                                     – exit & wait                                     – brain dead phrases                                     – reflectors 2. active listening 3. […]

Read complete blog post

Suicide – Warning Signs

WARNING SIGNS   – depression – previous suicide attempts – suicide of someone close – talking of suicide – preoccupation with death – giving away possessions – saying “Good bye” to family & friends – cryptic statements “You won’t have to worry about me  anymore” – listening to sad music – drawing morbid pictures – statements indicating feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness – statements about being a burden to others – loss of interest in […]

Read complete blog post




Back to Top

Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

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

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

+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

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

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

“Our daughter was the joy of our life until she turned 13, then all hell broke loose. Rick helped us understand what was happening to her and we made some adjustments that helped us get through it. She’s now in University and doing well.”

(D.A. – St. Thomas)