Friday, January 20, 2006
I'm An Accomplice to Hookey
I spent the day in the Healthy Lifestyle Clinic, giving sound advice to my young friends and their parents.
M is a girl I have been counseling since April. She is 17 years old and has been losing weight consistently every month, despite a total lack of effort or lifestyle change! Every month she comes, without parents, for a follow-up appointment and stares blankly as I ask what changes she has made.
"What are you doing for physical activity?" "Walking 10 minutes to school"
"Are you eating any vegetables?" "I'm not really a fruit or vegetable person"
She's done nothing- NOTHING- and has lost 11 lbs in 8 months.
The unfortunate thing is, I fear she comes from a home of neglect and poverty. On a few occasions, I have asked her whether there is enough food in the house but have never gotten a response that would point me in a direction to seek help for M. Also, I suspect she is of borderline intelligence. Also, she smells.
Enough of that though! Today, she lost another kg and I suggested we wait 3 months before her next visit (She's doing well, weight-wise, and not listening to a word I say, so why continue to see her monthly?). A look of shock crossed her face: "3 months?". I asked if she felt more motivated by coming in every month. M said: "No, but 3 months is a long time not to leave school early". Ms Ms said: "M, is the reason you keep coming to the clinic because you get to leave school?". And M replied: "Uh, YEAH!!!"
The mystery as to why a totally clueless and aloof teen faithfully attends all her appointments while being totally non-commital to any lifestyle change: SOLVED. Ms. M ¶ 7:43 PM
M is a girl I have been counseling since April. She is 17 years old and has been losing weight consistently every month, despite a total lack of effort or lifestyle change! Every month she comes, without parents, for a follow-up appointment and stares blankly as I ask what changes she has made.
"What are you doing for physical activity?" "Walking 10 minutes to school"
"Are you eating any vegetables?" "I'm not really a fruit or vegetable person"
She's done nothing- NOTHING- and has lost 11 lbs in 8 months.
The unfortunate thing is, I fear she comes from a home of neglect and poverty. On a few occasions, I have asked her whether there is enough food in the house but have never gotten a response that would point me in a direction to seek help for M. Also, I suspect she is of borderline intelligence. Also, she smells.
Enough of that though! Today, she lost another kg and I suggested we wait 3 months before her next visit (She's doing well, weight-wise, and not listening to a word I say, so why continue to see her monthly?). A look of shock crossed her face: "3 months?". I asked if she felt more motivated by coming in every month. M said: "No, but 3 months is a long time not to leave school early". Ms Ms said: "M, is the reason you keep coming to the clinic because you get to leave school?". And M replied: "Uh, YEAH!!!"
The mystery as to why a totally clueless and aloof teen faithfully attends all her appointments while being totally non-commital to any lifestyle change: SOLVED. Ms. M ¶ 7:43 PM
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All I have to say to that is : WOW.
It's funny how honest your patients all are, isn't it? Like that girl who was all "my snack is in the drawer".
But this girl has no shame! Haha! so what do you do in a case like that?
It's funny how honest your patients all are, isn't it? Like that girl who was all "my snack is in the drawer".
But this girl has no shame! Haha! so what do you do in a case like that?
i found this pretty funny! whast kids will do to get out of school.
however i also have to say that i found it quite sad, as it really is a commentary on our school system, as well as the state of parenting in our communities.
so ya, really... what do you do about this??
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however i also have to say that i found it quite sad, as it really is a commentary on our school system, as well as the state of parenting in our communities.
so ya, really... what do you do about this??
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