Messages By: noellskie

This is not the first show Dr. Phil has done on runnaways, and just like last time it appears that only one side of the story is getting out. I myself left home at 16, spent five years on the street and decided for myself that I wanted better. So I started working, got my GED and at the end summer session, I will graduate (offically in Nov) with a Hons.BA in Sociology. Between my life experiences and my formal eduaction I know that youth who leave home, generally have reasons for not wanting to be there. Usually the percieved danger of the streets seems a lot  better because it is easier to be hurt by strangers than tby he ones who are suppose to love and protect you. That may not be the case here, the family from what I can tell truly have their daughters best interest at heart. I am just surprised that Dr. Phil did not do more to consider Amanda's side of the story. I believe that as adults, especially in this field, we ought to encouraging youth to voice themselves, not ship them off to a closed facility because its easier than facing reality. That is where they put me the last time, and it was the reason I left for good and went clear across the country, (Canada is big!..lol).

I understand not liking her behviour as she was being very disrespectful, but you know what, so where some of teh adults. Furthernore, we have to keep in mind the power of editing. We only get to see the 'bad blow-ups' it makes for better TV. How would it be if the showed some of the more clamer moments as well. I can understand that the parents are going out of their mind and obviousy they all need help.  I just don;t like the idea of blaming a child for being that, a child. This is her time to learn and grow and make bad decisions. We can serve her and help her first by seperating who she is from her behaviour. I am sure she is really a terrific person who happens to be acting out with a little evil demon on her shoulders. I just think we owe it to the family to not judge their daughter, but try to understand the pain that they are all in. Focusing on the problem behaviour opposed to working towards a solution does not help anyone.

OMG are you kidding me! Regardless of whatever this guy has or has not done, what these women are doing is no different that what youth are doing online - only we call it CYBER BULLYING! This is the excatly one of the points I make in my thesis which is on the topic of cyber bullying. If a youth says something negative, hurtful or hateful against a peer it is labled as bullying, but yet were does this behaviour become acceptable ? Is it just because they are adults that they seem to think it is ok? I know Dr. Phil will set them straight on this. If we want our young people to treat others with respect online than we as adults need to set that example and not engage in and model the same behaviour we are telling them is not ok!

 

Dr. Phil I know you have my back on this don't you!

I can't believe this guy is actually complaining about being protrayed to Grace as a Monster! If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, well it must be a duck! This man can not have contact with this child and I truly believe that as the parents of this little girl, you're causing just as much damage by minimizing what was done to her!!

 

It makes me sick that no one in this family is really stepping up to protect this little girl. Fact is in most cases sexual assault cases are committed by a family member or a friend of the family. Having been in a similar situation with my own father when I was Grace's age I can tell you that the long term effects of what he did is still just as painful as the lack of accountability and validation from other family members. I learned and believed growing up that I was worthless because the people who are suppose to love and protect me were the ones hurting me. Even though I am in my early 30s I still struggle with my past. I tend to get involved in really unhealthy and abusive relationships. I can't ever see myself  trusting a man enough to actually marry him and start a family.

 

The one good thing about this show that I know I can count on is; that  regardless of what these adults do, Dr. Phil and his staff will intervene on this childs behalf.

I am waiting in anticipation for this episode to air because the focus is on my thesis topic. I explored the impact of technology on bullying for my undergraduate thesis paper. What I leaned fro my research is that cyber bullying is typically a continuation of traditional bullying in the sense that usually involves the same individuals who are engaging in the behavior at school. However because of the inherent nature of the Internet the short and long term consequences of cyber bullying warrants increased concern. What I found most troubling was that cyber bullyig is much more difficult to prevent and combat for two specific reasons. The first reason is because it is harder to identify those involved because of the anonymity of the net and because youth involved are more hesitant to report it out of fear that they will lose access to or have their Internet access restricted.

Dr Phil has had two women on his show last year who developed websites where women can go to bash their ex's. Those types of sites are no different than the blasfulmus websites started by students. Why is that we hold younger people to a higher standard that we our selves as adults are not willing to live up to. I would have loved t know what that those women think about youth who cyber bully and how they than justify that their websites are different.