Prozac Nation

His teacher had diagnosed him with some attention deficit He didn't conform to her rules to be quiet and just to sit

I had the chance to listen in

between a teacher and parent

The teacher told the mother "Dear

your son needs help, that's apparent"

 

She suggested that the mother

visit a doctor that she knew

One who'd give him medication

to control the fits that he threw

 

His teacher had diagnosed him

with that Attention Deficit

He didn't conform to her rules

to be quiet and just to sit

 

He was no different from those

that all of us knew growing up

Acting unruly like a dog

who doesn't know he's still a pup

 

But now we claim this is disease

though that seems but only a ploy

To make a common worker bee

of what once was a little boy

 

Time out is what we do to them

when our children all misbehave

It has about the same effect

as master becoming the slave

 

A child who won't sit still in school

is no more or less of a joy

In my day they were not called sick

what they said was "he's just a boy"

 

Tate

Author's Note

Some of the parents who listened to doctor Spock in the 60s and 70s.Those who tried the kinder gentler approach to raising little Henry. Are now held hostage by their unruly children. So thank you doctor Spock for everything you didn't do. And for all the answers you professed to have but really never knew. Now the public schools want to discontinue the teaching of cursive writing and spelling . As they see it why do we need them anymore? However they also told us we didn't need the phonics that they discontinued back when children could read? The schools got one thing right. Why try to teach children to write if they can't even read? I would truly be interested in knowing just how many parents have been told by teachers that their children need medication. So if this is the case I would like to take a poll. Tell us all how many of you there truly are. Is this just a way to manage overflowing classrooms? When was it we gave teachers the right to diagnose medical problems? In years gone by we would have thought that an affront. It is truly out of their expertise. But I hear over and over that that teachers recommend certain doctors to make sure the children are medicated. If this is not the case tell me. I could be wrong . However it seems it would be more productive to fix the broken schools. Instead of saying the children are broken.

Reviews

[roarke]

ADD is an alphabet soup designer condition. I could speak volumes here. People, teachers, parents, society of this era look for the magic bullets... there are none. It's not one thing, eureka! and here's the one pill. It's a life time of things, ALL THINGS WE DIDN'T DO, but heaven forbid it's OUR fault.

A diagnosis of ADD works in the favor of institutions and pharmaceutical companies, not the children. It's all gibberish. If you think you have a child with ADD or ADHD, do these things first.
1. Turn off the electronic stimulation and spend time with the child.
2. Make sure his psychotropic chemicals are balanced by a good uninterrupted nights rest.
3. Make sure he gets PLENTY of physical exercise, whether it's sports, chores, or physical hobbies.
4. Be aware that ADHD behavior can be caused by a wide range of conditions, like food allergies, bad bacteria in the gut, ANY processed food, food coloring and additives.
5. Many symptoms of ADD can also be matched to characteristics of low spectrum Autism like Asperger's Syndrome.
6. Some of the characteristics of ADD are due to lagging cognitive development, where the child is not as mature for his chronological age, a 20 y/o acting like a 15 y/o for instance.

None of these things mean there's anything wrong with the child.

these just to name a general few. But no one knew these things in the days Tate is writing about here. Back then most of the things, problems I listed above didn't exist in our home life culture. Be ware the changes for convenience or having to make MONEY and don't short change the kids.

I know, I have a child like this. It's difficult, but it's not about pills, it's about lifestyle. Change it.

Parents brought their children into this world, it's not the responsibility of Sesame Street, baby sitters, Day Care, schools, psychiatric institutions to RAISE those children. Your child is a direct reflection of YOU. If you want a change in your child, change YOUR lifestyle first.

We're a society of pills, let's not make that the legacy for our children. Doing the right thing is always light years harder than just looking for a magic bullet.

[therisa]

There is another possible reason, for a young boy's inattentiveness, is that the teacher isn't teaching to grab the child's imagination. Numerous studies have proven that boys learn differently from girl. Speaking from my own personal experience, depression and boredom can be, a very power reasons for a child's reactions, within a classroom setting. As I was tested to be reading at the level of first year university, while barely passing English, in grade 7. For you see, I was the target of several bullies, who made my life at school, a living hell.

[Tate Morgan]

Agreed boys are very hands on tearing apart or building ideas

[therisa]

Wish there was a way that encouraged boys to thrive, while not ignore the girls, in the classroom.

[Tate Morgan]

Send the boys outside to run around the playground a few times then sit em down lol

[therisa]

Before or after PhysEd is restored back to the classroom?

[Tate Morgan]

yeah really

[Pax]

I am here digging an old write ~ and i found something very informative ~ and i always say this there is more to a poem than a story ~ in your works you tell us a realistic event or situation you've experienced and that's what i find here ~ in diagnosing a child or a person it never is a first observation or the second or third ~ there are many test to be made ~ it's sad and suspicious why would a teacher recommend a certain doctor for it while you can look for it yourself ~ then how can a teacher diagnose the child without having any medical fields unless she has a child with the same problem... i enjoyed this short tale greatly...

[Tate Morgan]

You are right.When i was a child children that now would be said to be suffering from ADHD were simply called Boys lol

[K. D. Kromminga]

I think the main problem is the different kids learn best in different ways and teachers fail to take into account that maybe its their particular method of teaching that is not keeping the child's attention. Not to mention its always better to trying every method you can before medication is the last resort. As always your poetry has a important point to make and your impeccable concentration on that point helps to drive it home where it counts.

[Autumn Dawn Gorny]

As a mother of a mentally ill(non-ADD/ADHD) child I can tell you I did not take the decision of putting my daughter on medication lightly, I also forced the doctors to prove to me that she needed them. But yeah, I have seen some parents put there kids on medication because...wait for it.. they became teenagers and talked back.

[Patricia B. Hepler]

Ah, my foremost pet peeve w/ "public school systems"... I worked for the local system, many yrs ago. I didn't realize my rights as a parent nor my child's rights. In the parent-TEACHER meeting (read I listened whilst she pontificated), I was told that "Your child has ADD. You must take him to a dr for medication."
It was just after the dr came in & explained that it was AGAINST THE LAW for a teacher to diagnose then suggest treatment when I realized I had been duped for the last time by our public school system. I returned w/out an appt for an impromtu PARENT/teacher meeting and informed the teacher that she was breaking the law in diagnosing my child, recommending he take medication and that I would report her to the authorities if I heard that she was continuing to break the law.
I did my research thoroughly and learned to share my results w/ any parent that asked.
I also have this saying, "No wonder Little Johnny can't read. The teacher cannot teach.'
Return to what works, people. I will gracefully step down from my soapbox, kind sir. ~pat

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

How very true. In our time, being a child had its stages of "unruliness" and "excess movement" but it did not mean children were sick. Today remedy is always with the use of drugs, which does not really correct anything but aggravates, and sometimes, destroys the mind of the child irreversibly. A very good observation excellently conveyed in this well-written rhymed and perfect count poem.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you

[Muse]

I read this again...I'm so in agreement. I hope that by commenting on this again...some others will read you.

[Becky C Strukamp]

Another topic much in need of re defining, discussing and changing. Parents, I believe rely too much on outside forces that have no clue as to what is best for our children, rules keep changing, what was once consider normal punishment is now abolished, what was once considered to be a child that can not sit still has proven to be a child who is quite intelligent and far above his peers, his restlessness may just be due to the fact he needs more stimulation in learning, more challenging learning, he is grasping onto things more rapidly and craves to advance. Too much is taken for granted. As parents we need stand up and examine what is best for our children rather than to take advice without questioning it.

[Katrina Mckeown]

thought provoking and well penned! thanks for sharing your caring, nuturing nature shines through!

[TL Boehm]

I am the parent of a now 16 year old male who was on ritalin at the urging of a school. When the ritalin didn't give the desired effect - we were told to seek psychiatric counseling and were prescribed Depakote for our then ten year old child. We decided to pursue a different course of action and because we would not medicate our child - we were asked not to bring him back to a school. We sought behavioral counseling (no drugs) and we modified our child's diet, cutting out processed foods, high fructose corn syrup and simple carbs. It took about four more years to get our child to the point of "normal" and he is now home schooled - but he is articulate, obedient, creative - he has friends and outside interests and is no longer a discipline problem. He was never "ADD or ADHD" but he did have some personality quirks and we as parents had to be diligent and consistent and train him to respond appropriately to life. It SUCKED at times but now - he's on his way to becoming a normal, responsible adult who doesn't have an arsenal of meds.