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Showing posts from November, 2007

Teen Rebellion or Conduct Disorder? A Counseling Special Report from Dwight Bain

Likely everybody has heard about or knows a teenager or young adult who has experienced trouble with the law or who has been expelled from school or perhaps even threatened someone at school, sometimes with a weapon.  People know these teens have problems, but they may not know these behaviors can be symptoms of a very real psychiatric illness affecting approximately 9 percent of all boys and 2 percent of all girls under the age of 18 in the United States .   Rebellion-  is open opposition to authority or tradition. Usually the word rebellion implies disobedience when there should be obedience. The ancient French word for rebel is 'rebelle,' which means "to wage war again." ~ Webster's Dictionary     These symptoms describe what is commonly called a "conduct disorder," or "Oppositional Defiant Disorder," which is a behavioral problem characterized by uncontrolled anger, rebellion, resistance to discipline and a pattern of vio

Five Tips To Help the Shy Child

Millions of kids struggle with shyness.  They struggle in school and have difficulty with social acceptance.  As parents, you may eagerly want to help your child out of his or her shell but before you do consider these tips:   1. Don’t Label Your Child “Shy:” Your child may already be struggling with wanting to fit it and may already believe something is wrong with them.  Putting a label on their behavior or what just might be a personality trait can hurt rather than help.  Consider using other words like “cautious or discerning.”   2. Focus on Their Strengths :  Praise their positive qualities like how kind they may be to their pets or their patience with a younger sibling.  If your child is musically or artistically inclined, help them develop these talents.   3.  Encourage Your Child to Speak Up :  Include them in on family conversations and decision-making that is age-appropriate.  If is important to let your child know that his or her opinion is valued and that they