The Rowdy Ones

As long as I've been involved with youth ministry, there's been "the rowdy ones." It's usually a male who can't be quiet, sit still, or pay attention. At times you feel like what's the use. Is anything getting across to the "rowdy ones?" What concerns me more is how often our society ends up giving drugs to the "rowdy ones." This is so they can sit still and learn academically in school. Lawerence Diller has been treating children with behavioral problems for 28 years. He's noticed a disturbing trend - the kids brought in for possible psychiatric medication are "far less abnormal" than they used to be. Parents are less willing to tolerate minor weaknesses. He's written a book called "The Last Normal Child." Dr. Diller chose the title because he had this fantasy, as more and more normal kids get psychiatric medication, that eventually the last normal child in the world would be brought to him for a prescription. So while academic standards get higher, we have to realize that not every kid is academic. Sure, test for learning disabilities, but do we really need to medicate our kids this much? By the way, in a ministry situation, I love kids that our rowdy. Some of my best days in elementary school were spent in the corner. So I understand and I wasn't medicated! The "rowdy ones" always give us an opportunity to check our teaching styles and how we communicate. After all, more things are caught than taught when it comes to following Jesus. So pray and love the "rowdy ones." They need to know we care and desire to see them grow spiritually. These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"