Somehow, this has devolved into a debate about GAC...
But, I'll toss in my two cents, with no offense meant to anyone, this is a general discussion, not an exploration of any individual situation, per se.
Is any kid normal? Mine isn't. She's got her own quirks, her own tolerances, her own moods, just like any person. And parents learn to gauge those moods quickly.
Is my kid perfect? Nope. Is she impatient? Many times, yep. Does she whine? Oh, she has that perfected. Can she lie? Yep.
However, I don't rush to "diagnose" her with any behavioral disorder...nor seek a medical diagnosis...why?
Because, she is a person. She is still developing, and quickly I may add. We all develop throughout our lives, but without a doubt the first 20 - 30 years will most likely set many pre-conceptions and establish many behaviors, hence why parents (like me) try to give a "better" life for their children...it's partially vicarious, and partially emotional / intellectual evolution.
As is often said, there is no "user manual" for a kid.
So, I digress...raising a child isn't a science, it's an art. Just as any interpersonal relationship is. And it shouldn't be left to scientists (which are what doctors are, for the record). It's about relationships, respect, and trust (in both directions). And, that is not built when a built in "you are different than me" excuse is created by the parent. But, I'll get more into that later.
Look at the sheer number of children diagnosed with "mild autism" or "ADHD" (in my day it was called hyperactivity, in my parents day it was called being a kid...) Kids are stupid, they say and do stupid things. They lie, they cheat, the steal...they are people pressing boundaries.
This rush to over diagnose, over medicate, and over indulge children because of some perceived "disability" annoys me.
Sorry, ADHD isn't a "disability". Nor is "mild autism". And, frankly, having worked with children who are severely autistic, I find it annoying how many people have jumped on that bandwagon. A severely autistic child has extremely special concerns, one of which is crowds...and if that means you never get to do Disney, so be it. Severe autism is extremely rare, "mild autism" is not.
That being said, does my kid have trouble changing gears? Yep. Does she dislike waiting in lines? Yep. Does she complain and whine at times? Yep. Does she have trouble paying attention over extended periods? Yep.
At an early age, nothing a swat on the bum won't solve...(or, by this age she's at now, we can use guilt or other means, because her mother and I were not conservative when teaching her how to act when she was younger, and she respects our parental authority).
I'll close my short rant with this...a child IS most definitely a person, and should be treated as such, but in no way is a child an adult. Diagnosing a child prematurely (who, for the record has NOT matured yet) with a "mental defect", such as ADHD, and then informing them of said defect throughout their childhood (Oh, it's ok you couldn't read Moby Dick, it's too long, you have ADHD), thereby allowing them an excuse for poor performance in the future, accomplishes absolutely nothing.
For those parents who actually have children who struggle with mental / physical disabilities, this rant is not directed at you in any way.
