And Dr. Laura Berman's 16 hear old son died of an overdose recently too. No Whitney Houston influence there. There are a lot of young people who are hooked on these drugs and don't know how to handle it. It's very sad, no matter who's child it is.
John, I know some young people who had very good upbringing, came from good families but they got involved with the wrong people either in school or afterward and were lead astray. A good upbringing does not guarantee a child will not do something wrong. Unfortunately in these cases, it could have fatal consequences. On the flip side, there are young people who have had really crappy lives, lived in poor areas and maybe had neglectful or abusive parents and they vowed not to go those routes and wind up making something of themselves.
I certainly agree with everything you've said but would emphasize that strong, proactive parenting, with occasional tough love, can go a long way in preventing a child from going the wrong way.
And I agree with what you've just said.
Too many parents, mostly Gen-X'ers I think, want to be "friends" with their children. My son and I always had lots of fun together but he knew I am Mom and I don't play.
Exactly! Being a parent takes precedence. I remember a time when a certain teenage daughter thought my restrictions were so harsh that she was going to leave home and not come back. I told her to think long and hard about the consequences of leaving - a short spiel to which she paid little attention. I asked her if she wanted to take all her stuff. When she said yes, I threw it all out the 2nd story window, TV and all and told her to "take it and go". She got that and other messages and is now the CEO of a charity corporation she founded. I am proud of the work she does.And I agree with what you've just said.
