This past week we saw the news media captivated by the idea that a 6-year-old boy, Falcon Heene had been carried off by a weather balloon. That is until the …
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A sensational example of poor judgement and lousy parenting, yes. And you have highlighted a patterns of putting their children in jeopardy, both physical and emotional.
I can’t say stripping parental rights is indicated, though. The trauma of separation and/or termination of parental rights would likely be far worse on the children. But parenting classes and family therapy, where the parents are helped to understand the potential detrimental impact of their parenting decisions? Absolutely.
very VERY well written. Good job!
I was a cutter 15 years ago and now it has returned in thE past 4to6 months badly
Posted by Smka16 35 minutes ago (Question) | admin links
I realize I need help due to a bad chilhood and being molested by my grandfather I started cutting from middle school to years after high school I saw a phicoligist during high school and maybe a few years after I got married my husband chris and I have been married scince march of 1998 we have 2 butiful girl one 7 in the first grade the other 5 who will be starting kindagarden next year but anyhow the cutting started back about 4-6 months ago my husband and best friend have stood by my side all along I have went as far as trying some drugs to cover the depression so about 2 weeks ago I started realizing I needed to get out side help but that is something very hard for me to do I can not bring myself to opening up to a stranger but now I am about 10 because I had to book the appontment almost a month in advance now I am afraid if I keep this appontment how much and when can a psyciatrist bring in a outside party and is there a chance if I go to this appontment I could lose my girls I need help should I keep this appontment or not.
Many people invent the strangest things to attract media attention. Reality shows are an example and now this crazy “performance”. We’re close to the scary scenario of the film “Live!”
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810945/
Yes John – talk about poor judgement! Ironically, I also wrote a piece yesterday about “balloon boy” but it was in the form of a letter to his parents.
After opening with a bit of a rant – I carefully put my “therapist hat” back on and gave them some tips about what they could to help Falcon avoid experiencing any more trauma than he already has (the last point being to get him to a therapist pronto). Anyone interested in seeing “To the parents of Balloon Boy,” can see it here:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2442-SF-Marriage-and-Relationships-Examiner~y2009m10d19-To-the-parents-of-balloon-boy
Another excellent piece by you – thanks.
they had no right to do this. they had the country in an uproar. i was worried about that boy. that poor little boy. i hope this doesn’t screw him all up now.
ALL of these reality shows are no more than ACTING – to the extent that it is not a drama but a bad acting series.
Also the lifes of Jon/Kate is going to affect those children Forever.
They are not being able to have a regular childhood.
Taking away a childhood will infact cause them emotional issues later in life.
Known as the T.V. children – How Sad.
P.S. about the balloon boy – He has now been taught how to mulipuate, lie etc.
There should be documentries on how being in the spot light has done to their lifes.
I would never have given this guy anything but a jail sentence.
Great article. It is very sad that thy asked that little boy to hide and lie. The dad acted weird in all the interviews. He was nervous and avoided eye contact. Thank you for writing an article on this timely issue.
Very good article!My opinion is that, this is child exploitation and should be punish by law, and the child should be removed from the family.
I will open with the statement that, yes this was a well written article, albeit a tad slanted. I see families like this everyday, and this one is not so different from those I counsel. The difference lies only in the level of coverage that this “Balloon Boy” incident has garnered. That being the other sensationalists that have had there own little “spin-offs” at the expense of this incident (i.e.: Read the Gawker story: Exclusive: I Helped Richard Heene Plan a Balloon Hoax) The Gawker is no better, in reporting technique than “The Inquirer”. They both report a lot of silly sometimes childish drivel, with the same sensationalistic results. It does not make them right.
The statement that the children should be removed from their parents does not render the situation remedied, as they (the Heenes) can always have more. (Unless we decide that a judgment call of legal castration and hysterectomy are in order – a rather Orwellian decision from my point of view.) I tend to agree with sandy in that counseling is more in order. I do not believe that stripping parental rights is in order either. As was pointed out by sandy the trauma of separation and / or termination of parental rights would be far worse on the Heene children. I have witnessed examples where uncontrolled urination, and feces excretion in clothing is the result of parental separation. However parenting classes, individual and family therapy, where the Heenes are helped to understand their potentially pernicious effect of their parenting decisions? Yes, as that is the point – to make better parents thus saving the children. Not the destruction of a family.
PS: The removal of parental rights is a knee-jerk reaction at most. We as counselors and healers need to step back from the situation and view it form that perspective.
Certainly not the appropriate way to use your children…I think its hard to judge the whole situation based on what you hear and see on TV though.