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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.

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.

Hurt people hurt people.

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

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

"To be a man, a boy must see a man."  (J.R. Moehringer)

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

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

Children do not develop on their own - they only develop within relationships.

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

Learn more.

Temper Tantrums (3 years to 6 years old)

Children of this age are capable of putting on a great show including screaming, crying, protesting, swearing, making demands, physical resistance, throwing objects, spitting, hitting, biting, scratching, etc. “Redirection”, “extinction”, and “wait outs” continue to be appropriate responses by parents but it is also  worth considering “time without reinforcement” (time out) and “withdrawal of privileges”. “Tracking” continues to be a useful strategy to use during those teachable moments.

Next post – dealing with tantrums by children 6 years and beyond.

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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

“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)