What's wrong with our youth? Is it a psychosocial disorder? Is it the parents?

[RU OX Alum]

Most doctors who treat these children give them medicine that the doctors have invested in, and only those medications.

[SigKapSweetie]

Parents.

[AGDee]

I'm sorry, but the only thing "new" about a kid being beat up by a group of 6-8 bullies is that it gets videotaped and posted on the internet now. Do you seriously mean to tell me that nobody in your highschool ever got beat up by a group of students? It happens, they are kids. They didn't used to be made famous by it, they just used to get suspended.

People always freak out about the awful behavior of the generation or two below them when, in fact, the behavior really isn't a new phenomena. Parents never like their kids music (except me.. I tend to like the same music that my kids do), they always think kids dress in ridiculous fashions (ironically, the 14 y/o is wanting to wear the same stupid 80's fashions that I used to wear), etc.

[AKA_Monet]

Should we as an adult society stop this behavior? Will it ever stop--the use of violence to solve problems? I'm sorry, but I have given up on that idea long time ago and have lost hope.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'm sorry, but the only thing "new" about a kid being beat up by a group of 6-8 bullies is that it gets videotaped and posted on the internet now. Do you seriously mean to tell me that nobody in your highschool ever got beat up by a group of students? It happens, they are kids. They didn't used to be made famous by it, they just used to get suspended.

People always freak out about the awful behavior of the generation or two below them when, in fact, the behavior really isn't a new phenomena. Parents never like their kids music (except me.. I tend to like the same music that my kids do), they always think kids dress in ridiculous fashions (ironically, the 14 y/o is wanting to wear the same stupid 80's fashions that I used to wear), etc.

I agree. It's just like any other social ill. Child molestation, incest etc have been happening since the beginning of time and probably at times much worse than now...it was just that no one ever talked about it.

But I do think the growing dependence on meds doesn't help.

Too many kids are getting put on meds for things that are just....CHILDHOOD...and then if they go off them or change the dosage, needless to say it's going to freak a developing brain/nervous system out.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Too many kids are getting put on meds for things that are just....CHILDHOOD.

Huge co-sign. I've talked to some parents who have put their children on meds for being hyper or being sad every now and then. I always look at them like "Hmm...that's called LIFE."

[preciousjeni]

I had a great mini-conversation with Rashid (Senusret I) about this just yesterday. If he finds his way over here, he might be willing to give his take on it.

My response: PARENTS

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by SigKapSweetie

Parents.

Co-sign.

Originally Posted by epchick

I believes, its the PARENTS!

Co-sign.

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

My response: PARENTS

Co-sign.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by 33girl

But I do think the growing dependence on meds doesn't help.

Too many kids are getting put on meds for things that are just....CHILDHOOD...and then if they go off them or change the dosage, needless to say it's going to freak a developing brain/nervous system out.

I agree largely with this assessment based on my daily experiences.

Most of "my kids" are on medicaid and come from families that unfortunately will always be dependent on that program. Our state medicaid program here apparently writes checks for an extra $500 a month (approximately) to parents with children who are diagnosed with ADHD. More and more parents are bringing their kids into our office to be diagnosed with this disorder. I'll grant that some of these children genuinely do have ADHD but most do not and dont even display any kind of hyperactivity while in the doctor's office atleast. We've had parents go as far as bringing in 6 month old babies to be diagnosed with ADHD--no joke. A lot of the behavior begins in the home with parenting or lack of parenting.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

I agree largely with this assessment based on my daily experiences.

Most of "my kids" are on medicaid and come from families that unfortunately will always be dependent on that program. Our state medicaid program here apparently writes checks for an extra $500 a month (approximately) to parents with children who are diagnosed with ADHD. More and more parents are bringing their kids into our office to be diagnosed with this disorder. I'll grant that some of these children genuinely do have ADHD but most do not and dont even display any kind of hyperactivity while in the doctor's office atleast. We've had parents go as far as bringing in 6 month old babies to be diagnosed with ADHD--no joke. A lot of the behavior begins in the home with parenting or lack of parenting.

hyperactive behavior isn't neccecary to have ADHD, they just realized that, neurologically speaking, ADD and ADHD are the same thing, so they combined them.

i agree that the 6 month old babies having it is absurd

[epchick]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'm sorry, but the only thing "new" about a kid being beat up by a group of 6-8 bullies is that it gets videotaped and posted on the internet now.

They didn't used to be made famous by it, they just used to get suspended.

I totally agree AGDee!! My mom made pretty much the exact same comment as you when we talked about all these things today. She just thinks these kids want to be able to go back and see how "cool" they were when they beat up someone.

I believes, its the PARENTS! Seriously, it is getting pretty ridiculous nowadays. I don't know if any of you remember George Lopez's comedy routine about the Mexican mother vs the American mother in a store w/ the crying child. Race/ethnicity aside, this analogy holds true. You have more and more mothers nowadays who think that by taking away a "gold star" will teach their child how to improve their behavior.

Kids aren't afraid of their parents, in fact many parents are afraid of their kids. They want to be the kids best friend and not give the kid any guidelines or rules. Its beyond ridiculous. I mean, I am going to want to be my kid's friend, but not at the expense of my role as mom.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by epchick

I don't know if any of you remember George Lopez's comedy routine about the Mexican mother vs the American mother in a store w/ the crying child. Race/ethnicity aside, this analogy holds true. You have more and more mothers nowadays who think that by taking away a "gold star" will teach their child how to improve their behavior.

So I was reading over Why you crying? by George Lopez again, so I thought i'd put the excerpt up that I was talking about earlier.

Kids these days talk back, man they talk BACK. I never talked back. You see Anglo kids in the store. "No, I wont."
"Now you listen to me, Dakota. I'm the parent here. You will. Believe me. Do you want a gold star when you get home, Dakota? Because you're going--you won't get The Lion King on DVD. You're not. Do you want a consequence?"

I love going to the stores and seeing parents actually get down on one knee. "Can you understand me, Tyler? This behavior is inappropriate. Well I need to aoplogize to you because I was using my outdoor voice inside."

My grandmother was old-school. She would pick me up. "Vamanos, cabron, we're going. Mira, como no, que no. Vamos. Mira, you don't want to go. Bullshit, you're going. Mira well, you know what, wait in the f--- car. Wait in the car. Wait in the car! Why you crying? Why you crying? Well, roll down the window so you can breathe."


The part I bolded is the way I feel many of these parents act towards their kids.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'm sorry, but the only thing "new" about a kid being beat up by a group of 6-8 bullies is that it gets videotaped and posted on the internet now. Do you seriously mean to tell me that nobody in your highschool ever got beat up by a group of students? It happens, they are kids. They didn't used to be made famous by it, they just used to get suspended.

People always freak out about the awful behavior of the generation or two below them when, in fact, the behavior really isn't a new phenomena. Parents never like their kids music (except me.. I tend to like the same music that my kids do), they always think kids dress in ridiculous fashions (ironically, the 14 y/o is wanting to wear the same stupid 80's fashions that I used to wear), etc.

True. Being bullied is nothing new, but being hostpitalized or almost killed over it is. Going around shooting other people like playing some violent video game is also insane. I think specific genes and the social environment interact to produce changes in the brain that influence emotional control and violence in kids. The V-Tech killer was taken off of his meds and look what happened. It's starts early, and if it isn't caught there's a possibility the kid could bacome a lifelong violent criminal. Antisocial behavior is what I think parents should start noticing. I think understanding whether a child is hyperemotional, or unemotional allows psychologist to identify high risk children early and to intervene with treatments before the child gets involved in serious crimes. I think things are different now because 20 years ago it was just general therapy and counselling, then waiting a few months to see if the kid got better. Yes, I do think parents are part of the problem but may not be the whole problem in some cases. In some cases improving parenting can be among the main tools of approaching antisocial behavior.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

True. Being bullied is nothing new, but being hostpitalized or almost killed over it is. Going around shooting other people like playing some violent video game is also insane.

I beg to differ. Again, it just isn't talked about as much or hyped as much in the media.

If you've ever seen Death of a Cheerleader or River's Edge, those are both true stories (although River's Edge was changed from a guy being killed to a girl so they didn't have to pay off the author). Both of those happened over 20 years ago.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

True. Being bullied is nothing new, but being hostpitalized or almost killed over it is.

Now there is where you are wrong. You might not have ever seen someone getting beaten up that bad, but happens. It happened a lot when I was younger.