Tag Archives: intervention

Warren Boyd – The Real Cleaner

Have you seen the new A&E show “The Cleaner?” It features Benjamin Bratt as a former addict who now uses extreme measures to help other addicts get clean. If you’ve seen the show, you may not know that Benjamin’s character, William Banks, is based on a real person. Warren Boyd was raised in sunny Santa Rosa, California, but by the age of 32, he had seen his share of trouble. He had nine DUI convictions and had already spent five years in prison. Addicted to both alcohol and cocaine, Boyd had been in and out of 26 rehab programs without … Continue reading →

Helping Where They Are the Most Vulnerable

Our kids need our attention and help for all sorts of things. Sure, we need to make sure they are clothed and fed and educated and all those other basic needs, but we also need to be able to see where our children struggle the most; where they are the most vulnerable, and give them extra support, encouragement and resources around those areas. This parenting reality might be really clear if a child has an illness, allergy, or learning disability–but it really does carry over to other aspects of life as well. If a child has a hard time making … Continue reading →

Intervening with Grade School Problems

It may be clear to us as parents when we should step in and advocate for our child when they are younger, but as they get older it can be more challenging. Not only does it become tough for us to tell when we should intervene, but we also have the added pressure of often having a child who does NOT want us to get involved—it can be embarrassing and cause more problems for him with his peer group than it solves. It can feel like a minefield as a parent to know when to step in and intervene and … Continue reading →

When to Intervene…and When NOT to…

I think one of the most ambiguous and challenging aspects of parenting can be figuring out when to butt in, and when to mind my own business. From the time my children were tiny, knowing when I should step in and help them up, stop an argument, help with homework, tell them what I think they should do, etc. and when I should be a silent supportive has been a tough one for me. When do we parents intervene? And when do we not? Safety is a no brainer. If a child is in danger or is doing something unsafe, … Continue reading →

Allowing Consequences to Unfold

Sometimes I think “intervention” should be the parent’s middle name. After all, we are forever coaching, teaching, advising, and coaxing our children to grow up to be happy, caring, decent individuals and, as I tell my children–citizens. BUT, sometimes we really do have to hold ourselves back and not intervene. We do have to allow for some consequences to unfold naturally in order for our child to get the full and lasting effect and lesson. Of course, I am not talking about situations where safety is an issue or where the natural consequences will do lasting harm or damage, but … Continue reading →

I’m Scared To Be Alone with Him

The following is based on a personal experience I had with an abused wife. The names have been changed in an effort to protect everyone involved. The scariest part of this story is that it happens all the time and while we know that abuse occurs, it can happen right in front of us without even knowing it. Her Name Was Amy Amy lived three doors down from my family. She was a great lady and someone I would consider a very good friend. She and her husband Ed had been married for more than a decade when I knew … Continue reading →

Morbid Meanderings Mean Much – Gastric Bypass Surgery

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Yep, that’s a title that’s guaranteed to get your attention. Unfortunately, we live in a world where weight can get out of hand. It can become unresponsive to your lifestyle and dietary changes. You can even find that dieting is a misery that either a) doesn’t work, b) harms your health, c) leaves you feeling worse or d) al of the above. Luckily, modern medicine has achieved some interesting and downright amazing results over the last fifty years. Fir performed in the 1950s, the gastric bypass has spent the last two decades becoming a successful surgery that helps patients to … Continue reading →

The No Child Left Behind Act and Special Education

What is the “No Child Left Behind Act?” The No Child Left Behind Act ( NCLB ) of 2001 has been called President George Bush’s “landmark education act.” One of its primary purposes is to make schools and teachers accountable for how well their students are learning. Through standardized testing, students’ progress is measured in reading, math, science, and other academic content. The test scores are broken down to show how specific racial and socio-economic groups are performing. The goal is to prevent schools from teaching to the middle-class white children, while “leaving behind” children from other ethnicities who may … Continue reading →