Are we serious when we act surprised that kids are stealing, doing drugs and killing people?  We hear horror stories every day in the news and people act shocked saying' "he was such a nice kid."  Or you have others saying "I always knew he was a bad kid." 

If you did, what did you do to help?  There are no bad kids, we create them.  Movies such as, "Good Will Hunting", "The Breakfast Club" and "Antwone Fisher", all explain how adults and the world destroy the loving spirit that every child was born with.

However, we do nothing to help our kids.  During the recent economic problems, mental health services and services to lower income children were the first programs to be cut.  We offer these kids and their parent no help and then wonder why the kids act out.  I hear from parents everyday, I have been searching and searching for help, but there is no help any where.  If we expect our kids to grow up to be mature, responsible adults we need to fund programs and make insurance companies pay for theraputic services that will help our children reach this goal.

Overall, it is not that difficult of a problem.  Every child wants to know that they are being listened to, they are being seen as a person and they are valued.  In short, they are looking for validation.  I cannot tell you how many kids do not believe me when I say I care about them and their future.  They look shocked and will question me to see if I am serious.  When they believe me, I have a new child in my office. I have a child who now cares about himself/herself and who cares about his/her future and who's behavior starts to change.  All because a stanger cared and saw their value as a person.

With suicide rates high, the number of kids cutting themselves being high, the number of kids committing violent crimes being high and the number of kids seeing no future for themselves and not caring about themselves, can we continue to sit back and do nothing? 

No we must insist that our children receive the help and assistance that they deserve.  If we do not then, if the children act out we should punish the adults not the children.  Parents if you have a child who is acting out keeping advocating for their rights until they receive the treatment they need.  If my office can help please feel free to contact me.

Remember there is no such thing as a bad child and a child acting out is simply a child crying out for help.  Please answer the call