by Erin * Comments (5) * Link to this entry

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Comments

Fantastic interview! Thank you so much for delving into this topic. I will be watching the doc on Tuesday and discussing with my kids.
My boys know that I check the history on their computers and that if they clear the history they lose the computer for a week. But of course you're right -- they go to friends' houses and who knows what other tricks they'll outsmart me with. Scary stuff. Thanks again.

Posted by: osmp | January 21, 2008 12:50 PM

Thank you for the informative interview with Rachel. I just became more aware of the problems with online bullying and it is very scary. My child is turning 8 at the end of the month and even though he is too young for things like MySpace and Facebook, I want to be prepared for when he is! I would have never thought that Kristin was the outcast in high school because you are so confident and smart! I did watch the Frontline show on the Medicated Child and it was very very interesting and disturbing. Right now I'm having to decide about medication and I don't know what I'll do. My son doesn't need medication for BiPolar disease but ADHD. Thanks again for bringing some light to these difficult topics!

Posted by: Yolanda | January 21, 2008 01:34 PM

I wanted to comment on Yolanda's post. A quick disclosure; I did not watch the Frontline about "The Medicated Child". My oldest child was diagnosed two years ago with Hyper Active Impulsive ADHD. My husband and I knew from the age of two on that our daughter was different. She did not respond to things the way other children did, she was quicker and longer to temper tantrums and could get into what we call "loops" - patterns of behavior that she could not easily end no matter how much we tried. I remember a particularly painful trip to the grocery store when the cookie jar (free cookies) was empty. She screamed for almost an hour about the cookie - she was four at the time. She started therapy at four when we became concerned about her well being and her interactions with other children. It wasn't until she started school that we (our therapist, my husband and I) were convinced that we had an ADHD child on our hands.

It came as little surprise to us as I am an adult with ADHD, something I struggle with everyday. After many tears, many heartfelt conversations and much research we decided to put her on medication. It was and still is the hardest decision we have ever made. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we have ever made. Last year for the first time in her life, she made a friend. Doesn't seem like much until you realize that this was a kid that either was too involved in her own stuff to notice other kids around her or turned off other kids (and their parents) by her strange behavior and temper tantrums.

Society often views ADHD as a disability but it isn't, it's a gift that when focused can take your child far. There are some wonderful resources on the web and I have some great titles that you might be interested in. Check out the Additude magazine site as well as CHADD, both are websites that are excellent jumping off points.

If you need anymore information or just someone who's been through it to talk to, please feel free to contact me. Erin and Kristin have my e-mail address.

Good luck and my thoughts are with you and your family,

Kat

Posted by: Kat | January 23, 2008 01:30 PM

Thanks for this important conversation. We just watched the Frontline as well. The message I heard the loudest was this digital world is here and we, as parents & teachers are not going to be able to contain it and make it work according to our values and expectations. We have to learn as much as we can to help our children deal with technology. (Clearly we will not be the ones "teaching" them about it. More like managing them as they will be light years ahead of even the techy-ist parents.)
More than anything else I feel like I now have fewer answers or solutions. I suppose that's they way this whole parenting deal works. My boys are 4 and 1. Our oldest already goes on-line for various things with our help. But he won't need that soon. I thought "no computer in the bedroom" was the solution. Clearly there is much more to think about. The next time I think I have figured out an easy solution to a parenting problem, the universe is sure to snap me back into reality. ;-)

Posted by: jessi | January 25, 2008 01:53 AM

Hey Erin and Kristin,
Great episode! I watched Growing Up Online today. I never would have known about the show if you hadn't featured it. Keep up the good work and thanks!

Posted by: rhiannonsmum | January 25, 2008 01:04 PM