Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Speaking of Mental Health

There's been a lot in the local news lately about mental health. I stumbled into another angle on mental health issues on the Sierra Times web site this morning. Henrietta warns us about Teenscreen, some psychiatric test that supposedly tells you if your kid is screwed up.

According to Henrietta and the folks at Teenscreen Facts, Teenscreen will more than likely tell you your kid is screwed up, and he or she needs to put on medication. They almost make it sound like some conspiracy.

I'll take Henrietta's word for it. When I worked at Juvenile Hall, years ago, it seemed the psyche folks were more than happy to put kids on medication for what seemed to be frivolous reasons. Then again, they were the supposed experts, not me.

Probably best to take heed of the warning, though. You hear more and more nowadays of kids being forced to take ritalin and other drugs for what most would consider normal childhood behavior and that's not a good thing.

5 Comments:

At 8:12 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is why I am seriously considering homeschooling my kids. Kids aren't allowed to act their ages anymore, they must act like little adults while in school.

ALl of my parent-teacher conferences said the same thing, "Day dreams during class, won't stay still." I would be put on ritalin now I am sure. And I didn't need it, I just loved recess and lunch recess more. Kids aren't programmed to sit still.

And what teen now doesn't have some problem? The world is a lot harder and confusing for them than it was for me (and I was born in 76). I didn't have to make the same choice that some of them have to make now. I kind of think adults are expecting too much from kids now. They aren't mini-adults, they are still developing and learning and need help, not drugs to subdue them because teachers cannot control their own classrooms.

 
At 11:27 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

You may or may not want to check out the Humboldt Homeschoolers web site, Kat.
http://www.expage.com/humboldthomeschoolers

They also have a Yahoo Group.

Did you know Jeanette Cruz, the mother of whoever that was you went to school with has been doing homeschooling for her two youngest kids?

 
At 6:36 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Brad Edmonds writes about home schooling here:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/edmonds/edmonds282.html

 
At 8:10 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maria, and no I didn't know she was homeschooling the two youngest.

 
At 9:01 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Maria lives on J Street, near Eureka High School now. Next time I see her I'll try and remember to tell her your one of my blog regulars.

 

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