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

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.

Adolescence can be the cruelest place on earth. It can really be heartless.  ( Tori Amos)

Relationships matter:  change comes through forming trusting relationships. People, not programs change people.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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Brain Facts # 5

Lifelong Neuroplasticity   Historically, it was thought that the human brain was a fixed and essentially limited system that only degraded with age. This view saw the brain as a rigid machine in many ways, pretty much set after childhood. By contrast, we have now come to appreciate that the human brain is actually a highly dynamic and constantly reorganizing system, capable of being shaped and reshaped across the entire lifespan. It is believed that […]

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Did You Know ? # 4

During pregnancy, environmental toxins can cause significant brain damage to a developing fetus if ingested by  mother. Abstaining from smoking and alcohol is a priceless gift to give your unborn baby.  

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Brain Facts # 4

The Changing Brain   Our brains constantly change over our lifetime as we develop and age. As a consequence, the way various brain functions work also changes, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. The brain of a newborn is far from developed; it needs time to fully grow and establish connections on both large and small scales. Our brain’s functions improve drastically throughout childhood and adolescence, following a generally predictably progression. It is only […]

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Did You Know ? # 3

One of the biggest threats to a developing fetus is maternal malnutrition, whether caused by famine, poverty or dieting. A particularly critical time is the  3rd trimester, when brain size is increasing rapidly.  

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Did You Know ? # 2

A newborn’s brain uses 70% of the calories consumed for brain development and function. An adult’s brain uses only 18% of the calories to function. A breast fed infant attaches  to the breast faster if it bears natural odour than if it has been washed.

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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

“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)