Comments: Brandon and the Bipolar Bear
This was amazing. Waiting until your parents go to bed to sneak out, get drunk and fool around in the backseat of a car is a damned important right of passage.
And as for "interest in money appears in young children when they start their own businesses in school..." as diagnostic criteria, two words: LEMONADE STANDS
creativity, defiance, inability (or unwillingness) to perform in a traditional academic setting and sometimes hating your damned teachers and even parents - it couldn't be that something is WRONG with the school system, parenting, teaching ability or the repressed yet simultaneously titillated collective societal attitude toward the sexuality of youth- no, never.
this whole thing makes me hate adults too.
Posted by Lily at February 19, 2007 01:25 PM
.."And, if more kids were behaving like the kiddo on the cover, then I am guessing the Bipolar Child mafia at Harvard would be out of business."
I am standing up and giving you a round of applause!
Excellent post.
Posted by Stephany at February 19, 2007 02:50 PM
When I read the part about being interested in money at a young age I immediately thought of all those children with their lemonade stands. Why, it's an epidemic (especially in the summer)! Get them on Zyprexa at once!
Me thinks some of these academics have been smoking the wacky weed.
Posted by Lisa at February 19, 2007 02:53 PM
Lily, great minds think alike!
Posted by Lisa at February 19, 2007 05:24 PM
I really enjoyed this post. You are a great writer. I loved the sarcasm and I could see a lot of myself in what was written. Also you ended the post on a note that makes you stop and really evaluate the reality of what you just read. That was a brillant piece of writing. Thanks Philip!
Posted by Angie at February 19, 2007 06:11 PM
That's some well-behaved psychopathology there, waiting to appear til parents to go to bed. Some folks need to get a clue about fundamental definitions.
Posted by flawedplan at February 19, 2007 10:18 PM
I just have to do a small rant:
Regarding the teen years; am I the only one who believed as a teen that real life started at 9pm, in prep for partying?
or on daylight savings time and my so-called curfew was 1am, does turning back the clock at 9pm count to base my arguement to my parental units who complained I got home past curfew?and does toilet papering boys houses and cars in the middle of the night count?(cause that's not a daylight activity)
Oh really, I just have to say give me a break. I think what these diagnostic 'tip-offs to mental illness' are in reality: basic developmental milestones, Ive said that before regarding toddlers, and I will say it again, if you don't go through all of these growing periods(yes temper tantrum, being a snotty teen, sex in the back of a car are all part of growing up healthy in my opinion, and makes me think I am a pretty damn good mom, to know this stuff happens, and the only lecture I gave was safe-sex ;and don't drink and drive, call me for a ride if you do.)I suppose professionals would rap my knuckles for that open-mindedness. I also made sure my kids got this advice: you can do anything, dare to dream.
Kids have more milestones, than first words or first steps, and the kids who go through each 'phase' are in my opinion, the one's who grow up to be pretty damn well-balanced people.
Posted by Stephany at February 20, 2007 08:53 AM