Posted on 11/20/2004 7:07:55 PM PST by neverdem
Well, ambiguous at best. A similar story could have read that the parents fatuously ignored the ongoing welfare of a kid who, in their eyes, seemed to be doing well (at first).
Anyhow, when I see "environment" blamed for [fill in the blank] doing poorly, I tend to roll my eyes. Especially when the change is to any ordinary eyes, benign. They had no a priori reason to fear problems with the kid in a richer neighborhood simply BECAUSE it was richer. That reads like liberal moneyguilt whineyspeak.
His grades were falling. Always an A-B student -- he had excelled in math in particular -- he now had a D and an F. In February, Matt was caught forging his father's signature on several midterm progress reports. The Millers were called to the school for a conference. As the second semester continued, Matt's problems multiplied. One of his teachers reported that Matt was breaking pencils in class and failing to interact with his classmates. Several instances of ''unsatisfactory conduct'' were brought to the attention of the principal.
It seems that , with all the 'thoughts' and "probablys" in here, that no one was really talking with Matt, and that includes his parents.
The Millers, who knew by now that Matt was unhappy though they weren't sure why, thought this was a good idea. They were eager to help Matt while school was not in session; that way, he could start fresh in the fall. They initially wanted Matt to see a social worker recommended by the school, but their insurance did not cover that therapist. In the end, they chose a psychiatrist, telling themselves that this might be for the best in case medication was required. Matt didn't want to go. ''He said to me, 'Mom, I'm not crazy,''' Cheryl recalled. Mark added: ''I remember telling him, 'Matt, this is good.' We would all love to pay someone to help us work through our problems.''
Look, I'm not judging anyone here, but imho, this kid needed someone to spend some TIME with him, talking about 'stuff', not being palmed off on a bunch of 'professionals' who are NO substitute for someone who gives a damn and is not watching the clock.
They give the impression of typical climbers seeking a bromide solution for every problem, as long as it is not too expensive (insurance picked up the tab, or he would have gone to someone else!--their first choice) or inconvenient.
Puberty has got to be the roughest time for a kid, friendships change, even without a move, your hormones are screaming, you are confronted by situations you just don't know how to handle. You need PARENTS, a mentor, an uncle, grandfather, someone you can bounce stuff off of. Someone to just listen while you sort things out. Someone who gives a damn and isn't there for the paycheck.
I thank God that I had that. I pray for the kids who don't.
Yes, I think drugs are dangerous, especially when you already are going through all the crap I just mentioned. You don't need some junk in your system to add to the confusion, you just might need a friend to help to work things out.
FWIW, and as someone who's dealt with depression for years now, I'm with the folks here who've argued the parents are doing some guilt transference onto the drug company. Would it have ruined the parents' lives if they'd just stayed in the neighborhood where the kid was comfortable?
bump for later.
He was right almost down the list.
I am so sorry for your loss. God bless you and your family.
Hmmm. It's quite possible. I take omega-3's, dessicated liver and lots of B-vitamins myself. And amino-acid chelated Cal-Mag-Zinc. But the things that have helped me the most have been getting a Jack LaLanne Juicer and walking 3 miles a day every day (which was no easy feat at first for a former couch potato; I had to work up to it slowly!). After about 50 minutes or so I get a "runner's high" even though I only walk at 3mph; I dimly remember hearing various endorphins, hormones and fat-burning enzymes are released at about the 55-minute mark, and I have lost a lot of weight on a low-fat high-juice diet.
Glad to hear you're feeling good a lot!
I agree. Nobody does anything "for the kids" anymore. Would it have killed anyone to wait until the kid graduated to move so they are not starting a new school their senior year?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.