I think it’s tough to be a boy today.  We used to say “boys will be boys”, now they says “boys have ADHD”, and when they say that it is all to often that boys are drugged.  Boys between seven and twelve years old are being given powerful stimulants with worrisome side effects because, in my opinion, they are normal or nearly normal boys under inept supervision or parenting.  Boys are physical and like to roughouse.  They need outlets for their energy – yet what do our educators tell us?  That physical sports are dangerous and not appropriate for the playground.  Someone might get hurt.  At home, parents are either too stupid or too lazy to engage their children in physical activity.  Or worse, they too have bought into the “competitive sports are bad for kids” bull.  Then their kids “won’t sit still” and it’s off to the doctor who, after the alotted 15 minute examination can’t find anything wrong, but just read an article in the Journal Of Medicine about ADHD and it’s “increasing prevalence”.  And how do you treat ADHD?  You guessed it – drugs.  Stimulants that are acknowledged to have great potential for abuse.

In the Drugging of the American Boy  at Esquire.com, Ryan D’Agostino lays out some of the (astonishing) statistics.  Check it out – I’m sure you’ll be shocked.  In the meantime, if your boy won’t sit still, please don’t drug him.  Get him into football, basketball, soccer or baseball.  Let him focus and expend that energy .