http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/08/31/CM22 1694.DTL

"...Child and family psychiatrist Robert Shaw says he wrote the latest book in the child-care advice genre because he had to..."

"The Epidemic: The Rot of American Culture, Absentee and Permissive Parenting, and the Resultant Plague of Joyless, Selfish Children," (with Stephanie Woods; ReganBooks, $24.95) is a primer on how to raise an empathetic kid who will benefit society. It takes the reader on a detailed, instructive journey through a child's life, and is filled with concrete examples from patients Shaw has treated in his more than 45 years of practice. Shaw founded and serves as director of the Family Institute of Berkeley. ..."

"...Can you go to stores, restaurants or libraries without seeing these joyless children screaming, throwing food or pulling packages or books off shelves? Are you comfortable seeing such scenarios-or tempted to look the other way?

We can no longer turn a blind eye: There is a mountain of evidence now telling us what's truly good - and really bad - for kids..."

"...The Roots of the Epidemic

Where does it all begin? The epidemic of which I'm writing cannot be imagined as a function of poverty, of the inner city or of a minority race. It is occurring in the homes of comfortable, educated parents. Its symptoms can be observed in every classroom, every playground, every supermarket and restaurant-in more and more households across America. The evidence begins early, and can be observed anywhere, in both parental and childhood behavior:

"...It is totally human and expected that children are going to test out their parents and other authority figures - not to do so would also be abnormal. Rather than seeing all limit-testing as a bad thing, we must recognize its merits in helping the child safely determine what it expected of him in the world. The trouble is, indulging and distancing parents have allowed it to go beyond an acceptable level. When parents don't teach their children acceptable behavior, defiance becomes the norm. Of course a 1-year-old tries to pull hair or bite; he needs to be taught not to or he will continue to do it. Of course a 2-year-old will throw a tantrum; he must learn that such behavior is not permitted and will not get him his way, or he will continue to do it. Of course a 2- or 3-year-old will feel reluctant to share her toys; she must be taught that it's a nice thing to do, or she will continue to refuse to. Of course a 3- or 4-year-old may try to run into a dangerous street; he must learn that he can't. Not enforcing appropriate limits is neglecting the teachable moments that will ultimately civilize and protect your child.

Many of today's children have gotten the message that their frightened, guilt-ridden parents will give in if they put up enough of a fight. So rather than trying to please them, they oppose, resist and irritate; their parents, in turn, cringe and cower and cave in. Control has come to replace attachment and love, skewing development in an abnormal direction that has become accepted. Palatable labels ranging from "high-energy" to "hyperactive" to "temperamental" to "oppositional" are bandied about like personality traits that must be tolerated. Parents are lulled into believing these behaviors are the norm by the parenting gurus who preach child-centric theories: never let your baby cry; he'll use the potty when he's ready; discipline is disrespectful; the child's feelings should come first (well before yours, of course). .."

Its another psychiatrist's view.  I'm not the author.

It MAY account for some of the over-diagnosis.  Haven't read the book, just the article about it.   

[QUOTE=curus] Its another psychiatrist's view.  I'm not the author.It MAY account for some of the over-diagnosis.  Haven't read the book, just the article about it.[/QUOTE]

If you didn't read the book yet, why didn't you wait to post? After you read it are you going to give the members your opinion about how it helped you with your ADD? That would be really helpful to the members here.

I agree - don't post a review of a review.  That is totally a sham way to do things.  Hell - if people did that - you could review "mein Kampf" and just review from someone elses' short caption "a story of a failed painter who had a dream".  Come on! You put what you knew would inflame people!

Read the dang book - THEN give us your honest opinion of what you read - not what you read someone else read!

Sigh.