I often preach to parents to address the negative but pay more attention to “catching your children being good.” I was so frustrated with my afternoon that I neglected to remember my day began with one of the most successful meetings I have had in a while. It was with a 12 year old with ADHD and mood problems who was returning to school after a three day suspension due getting into fight with a peer. It is important to note that this young man is not receiving special education services. The parent informed me that the principal and school psychologist wanted to meet as a team with the child for a bit and myself to discuss a plan. I was happy to provide a history and attempt to advocate for his mental health needs.
We held him accountable for his actions but also processed this with him, provided a teachable moment, and negotiated some accommodations based on his mental health needs. He is in the midst of a med change and the school agreed to reduce some of the unstructured time while we assess the effectiveness of the change. I was so proud and got a genuine thank you from all involved. This is why I do what I do. When you are having a frustrating day don’t forget about the successes that you had. This goes for the clinician and clients. Stay positive and try to “catch things being good.”
