Troubled Kids


Over the weekends, I very much enjoy CSPAN2 BOOKTV. "Television for Serious Readers." Sounds pretty paradoxical. It is all non-fiction authors and books. More my jam but I have an ever increasing appreciation of novels. 

I am presently watching a program about a book called "Troubled." It is an expose on the juvenile delinquent treatment programs of which I have some background. My public school position not really but we do have kids that wind up becoming placed in placed in alternative settings.

With at-risk kids and interventions, the degree of change required is daunting. There are no magic wands. It takes awhile for things to go awry. It takes a while to make it aright. As a high school counselor, I see assistance as only a tool to deconstruct what a kid has been through and create understanding and space for both the student, family, and the system, whether is a school or a program. That understanding can begin to untangle what has happened and where to go from there. Most wayward kids have deep issues with trust in adults so rebuilding that bridge of trust is the crucial first step. Being consistent, caring, a good listener, offering timely advice, finding a niche where the kid can experience success, and having a sense of humor, are planks in that trust bridge.

The goal is to get kids across the troubled waters of adolescence and to adulthood with no lasting consequences that last longer than being a teenager. Sometimes choices cascade into adulthood, even if a young person has largely left delinquency behind. Don't lose the lessons yet close that door if at all possible. And keep it on the other side.  

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