Bad Attitude or Disorder? Assessing Your Teen’s ODD Behavior

No parent of a teenager can escape the occasional friendly fire of their child’s bad attitude. For most young people (and to the chagrin of parents everywhere), rebellious, defiant behavior is as normal as acne or peer pressure. However, if this behavior is new or sudden, becomes more serious or entrenched, or if it seems to be going on longer than a normal phase of adolescence, your teen may be edging into ODD territory. ODD is oppositional defiant disorder, a serious behavioral condition that can derail family relationships and school performance.

Knowing the signs of ODD is a useful start in determining if your child may be headed for trouble:

·         Hostility, including with teachers, parents, family, and friends

·         Pessimistic feelings, such as always taking a negative view (“I’ll never learn how to do this.”)

·         Defiance, such as disregard for rules and authority

·         Being argumentative, including critical and nit-picky behavior

·         Bullying or other aggressive tendencies

·         Tantrums, including seemingly unprovoked angry outbursts and becoming easily frustrated

·         Resentful, which can include jealousy or envy of what others have

·         Unusually petty behavior, such as stinginess or tattling

Megan Meier Story

Who is responsible for Megan's Death? Is the people who created the factitious character "Josh", Megan's parents, MySpace? Is anyone else responsible?

Though true Megan took her own life, I do you agree with her parents that she was provoked? The intent of the creation of the Josh character and/or the MySpace account does not in my opinion release the Drew's from any responsibility in this matter. The argument being, if the account had never been created - No correspondence would have taken place,  and no suggestion to Megan that "..the world would be a better place without her in it." would have been written, or received.

I do believe according to the Drew's attorney, the mother of the girl knew Megan did suffer from ADHD (and though he denied it BiPolar Disorder). Also knowing that she had another 18 year old create the 'false' account does not in my opinion provide removed protection from responsibility as well.

Liability for Megan's death cannot be place on the medium (MySpace), just as the manufacture of a car is not responsible for the accidental death of someone, where the driver of the vehicle made or took action that resulted in another's fatality. I do believe however, that in this case, there should have been enough addition evidence to suggest that the Drew's might be held to an indictment of Manslaughter, in the same way a person operating a motor vehicle accidentally caused a fatality by misuse or oversight.

"Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes"

Professor Grossman is on the mark when it comes to what he considers his default grade he says “I tell my classes that if they just do what they are supposed to do and meet the standard requirements, that they will earn a C, " he said. "That is the default grade. They see the default grade as an A." Grossman feels this is due to students having a predisposition  or sense of  "entitlement". I couldn't agree more.

Perhaps what is causing students to feel entitled to receive a good grade is being passed at lower levels of grade and middle schools (K-12) without having to provide proof - through diligent study and practice the basic skills necessary to read and write. 

Aaron M. Brower, the vice provost for teaching and learning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, offered another theory which supports my own but from an opposing angle. “I think that it stems from their K-12 experiences,” Brower said. “They have become ultra-efficient in test preparation. And this hyper-efficiency has led them to look for a magic formula to get high scores.”

Do you feel you deserve grades based on your effort or is it that you earned the grade you receive because of your effort? I can suggest that I do not assume that I am entitled to any sort of grade, rather I believe that my grade should be reflected in my effort and also, the ability to master what is required of me - in balance. 


It is often that I tell my own children, if you do average work in school - expect an average wage paying job and or career. One that affords perhaps the ability to simply pay for rent, food, utilities and perhaps a form of transportation. Beyond that I explain that if you do better than average, then upon those extra earnings you are able then to save money for a new car, house or vacations. With exceptional work ethic you may achieve anything - and the rewards and financial freedom that go along with that effort would make for them a better way of life. 


Even perhaps enough to give back or contribute to the community they live.