“How can our son be so different from us?” asked Marsha, who describes herself and her husband, Ben, as bookish geeks. “Everyone in our family is quiet and reflective,” she said. “It’s as if Jack, our son, landed from another planet.” Energetic, loud, and impulsive, 7-year-old Jack became hard to contain at home, often intimidating his 11-year-old sister. But he was even more challenging at school, where his teachers told Marsha and Ben that they needed to seek help if they wanted him to remain there. “He was acting out constantly,” says Marsha. “We chose Parents Place for help, and their team came to the rescue.”
Experts at Parents Place assessed Jack and concluded that he’d benefit from the assistance one of the child psychologists to address issues of anger and impulse control. Marsha and Ben also enrolled Jack in Parents Place’s social skills group to help him learn how to develop better relationships with his peers.
Several months later, Marsha reported good news. “Jack is still Jack, full of vim and vigor and intense about everything,” she said. “But he has gotten better about sharing, raising his hand in class, listening to his teachers, and saying ‘Please,’ ‘Thank you,’ and ‘I’m sorry,’ when he’s wrong. And after several consultations with one of the Parents Place parent educators, Ben and I also have a clearer understanding of Jack’s personality.”
Parents Place is here for families in San Francisco, Marin County, and on the Peninsula. If you or someone you know needs advice, please call 415-359-2443.
With gratitude to our many supporters, no one is turned away due to inability to pay for the help they need.