Being a Problem Child

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Black sheep syndrome - getting into trouble daily at school, acting out, talking back at teacher, bringing stuff to school, class clown, throwing temper tantrums at home, hoarding food, becoming obese, angry and isolated.... ring a bell?

I used to feel like the problem child. However, my real problem was with a certain criminal element who took over the neighborhood when I went to school. There were some really bullies at the elementary and junior high I attended, and they ran roughshod over the neighborhood. Things improved a lot when I changed schools and got away from them.

i didnt like other kids when i was little, sometimes i'd punch them in the snout. thankfully ive outgrown that behaviour

Sounds like anger management issues. Can you identify what's triggering it?

I was considered a problem child, but it was for different reasons. At school, I stared out the window all day. I often refused to do my homework because it wasn't teaching me anything new. I didn't socialize with the kids at school. They would bully me until I cried and then I'd get in trouble for crying. The school believed that bullying was normal, but it was morally wrong to show weakness. I never called the teachers by name due to an intense fear of authority figures. I fidgeted to the point of damaging property. One day, I colored a whole desk dark gray with my pencil. I was so lost in thought, I often didn't even hear instructions. I was so distacted by my daydreams I would take forever to do simple things like changing for gym class. When I had to play team sports, I would wander off into a corner and stare at the wall, daydreaming. I had two favorite trees, one at home and one at school. I would sit under my favorite tree, rocking, and pretending to be a dragon.

When I turned thirteen, my body suddenly took on an adult female shape. Within a few weeks, I went from being a skinny kid to looking like a curvy woman. My mom freaked out about me gaining weight. She started strictly controlling how much I could eat. So I would steal food when she wasn't looking. As she became more obsessive about my appearance, I started injuring myself. She read my journal, found out I was depressed, and took away my CDs for a week as a punishment. It got worse and worse until I finally got away.

I was like that when I was about 10 years old.

Incidentally, the movie "Problem Child" came out at that time. That is still one of my favorite movies.

Tim

I was definetly considered a "problem child". Basically, my problem was, and still is, that I interrupt people. I blurt things out.

I also had the problem when puberty hit I hated my body...absolutely hated the curves and getting breasts was the worst. Although I was isolated and skipped school spent it bathroom or lying in the sun on the track bleachers I was not bullied. I was pretty small,but when I got pissed everyone ran I ws feared...cracks me up!! I was maybe 85 pounds but when I finally became angry I guess I was scary. I guess I did not quit and that made them stay away. I took on the biggest bully in gym class as she began to target me. She took cheap shots when in class doing soccer, I took her hits and chased her down in the locker room and put down to my height in one move. She apologized and her and her buds stayed away. I knew her weakness and used it!

Schools are bad news ; see books by John Holt " Escape from Childhood" and " How to make children fail" ( or something similar!) and Ivan Illich "Deschooling Society" .

Schools are seriously bad news for introverts and ASD sufferers.

And homes too ! !

Nope, but seriously , yes I remember the problem-child, black-sheep, one who wrecks family holidays, scapegoat, inconsiderate etc "role". The thing is that I now realise I must have seemed like that. I was disconnected.