AboutDaniel S. Harrop, M.D. Expertise I am a Psychiatrist (M.D.), Board Certified in Adult, Geriatric and Forensic Psychiatry, member of the faculty at both the Harvard Medical School and the Brown University School of Medicine.Special expertise in psychopharmacology, forensic (legal) work, individual, group and family psychotherapy and counseling, and utilization review and managed care/quality assurance topics.
Question Dear friend:
My 14 years old boy had a fight with other boy at the high school and I got so much preocupied because this boy had leukemia and did not have father living with him. I think he is a “niño malcriado” I means a boy whose parentes let him doing everything because they take pity on him because he is sick. The fact is thet when we were the four in the interview with the principal of the school, even the fact that he invited my son to fight twice, he told us that he was not still satisfied with this solution and he wanted a compensation (perhaps blood, who knows?) I want you to give me some advice, but please teach me to teach him how to solve problems but without mentioning the other part, you know, I did not involucrate the other parte in order to let the internel forces of the human being show up, in stead of trying to solve all his problems.
Thank you
Answer While you have to defend yourself if attacked, at least until you can escape, fighting is never correct. You have to tell your son that, and you need to get others he respects to tell him that (uncles, friends, etc). You have to teach him to rely on authorities -- when this boy first challenged him to fight,the principal should have been told (or a trusted teacher). Fighting like this never leads to any good. If he likes to fight, then get him in to a gymnasium where he can fight under rules. Street fighting never leads to any good.
