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A tantruming toddler is a little ball of writhing muscle and incredible strength. It's like trying to carry a greased pig past a slop bucket.

Criticism is not a motivator.

If there is no relationship - nothing else matters !

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice. (Peggy O'Mara)

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

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

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

"Unexpressed feeling never die. They are buried alive and come back later in ugly ways." (Stephen Covey)

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)

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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CYC Job Placement

Best wishes to the Fanshawe College (Woodstock campus) Child and Youth Counsellor students who are about to begin a 4 month work placement. These work experiences in the community allow students to put the theoretical knowledge they gain from their academic courses into practice in the real world. The CYC program is a 3 year diploma course with three semesters in class and 3 semesters in the field. It is my privilege to be a […]

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Depression – What It Is & What It Is Not

Depression is not: – a sign of weakness – a punishment for past wrongs – a flaw in a person’s character or  personality – the young person’s fault       It is an illness that results in: – emotional changes – physical changes – cognitive changes – behavioural changes         HOW COMMON IS IT ? – between 5-15% of all older children &  teens – a high school with 1000 students […]

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The Golden rules of Temper Tantrums

Tantrums are a normal part of a child’s development. Always remember the boy Scouts motto: Be Prepared. Never look around at the faces of those people watching you when your child is having a tantrum in public. The more involved you are with your child’s tantrum, the longer it will last. Remember to catch him being good as often as you can. Understand that all children want their parents’ love and attention. Move on and […]

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Depression – the stress “triggers”

  THE STRESS “TRIGGERS”   “Bad” things happen to kids                   – 1/2 of Canadian families go through divorce                   – 1/4 of Canadian women report having been sexually abused                   – parents, siblings, friends die   The overwhelmingly majority of children are remarkably resilient and emerge from the “bad” things relatively unscathed.   Those predisposed to anxiety and depression sometimes develop major depression after a stressful event.       Studies with animals corroborate […]

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Consequencing Teenagers

Identifying and following through on appropriate consequences is a major part of the job description for parents of teenagers. A consequence for inappropriate behaviour typically involves one of two options: a) removing a desirable (example – removal of computer privileges) b) adding an undesirable (example – adding a chore) Removing something the teen wants is usually more effective and easier to administer and monitor than adding something he/she doesn’t want. An effective consequence must involve […]

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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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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)