Article May 20, 2013 ISSUE

A change of heart—for each of us

Tiffany Herr

Lack of self-control. Distracted. Angry. Stubborn. Unable to concentrate. Emotional. The list got longer as the situation with my son got worse, and it looked as though suspensions and a possible expulsion from school were going to be in his future. The school suggested strongly that we seek the help of a psychologist.

My husband and I talked about this situation endlessly with alternating feelings of despair, sadness, and helplessness. We feared that if we didn’t seek a diagnosis then the school could determine that we had not done enough to solve the problem, and they might take some unwanted action. Even worse was the idea that maybe our son was stuck with these traits.