Rob is a sixteen-year-old high school junior who has been displaying numerous alcohol-related problems at school. As a result, Mr. Casey, the principal, told him that he had to see the school counselor, Miss Bradford, before he would be able to return back to class. Stated another way, Rob was kicked out of school until he made up his mind to see Miss Bradford, the school psychologist.
After Rob left the principal's office, he stopped at an older friends house before going home. Actually, Rob was trying to delay the inevitable because he knew that he had to tell his mother and father why he was expelled from school. When Rob explained to his parents that he was suspended from school for alcohol-related problems, they informed him that even though he was an adolescent, he needed to grasp the facts that drinking is a poor game plan and is the path to ill health, problems with the law, broken relationships, financial difficulties, and poor school and work performance. What is more, his Mom and Dad were quite upset with him for drinking as well as for hanging out with his buddies who also drank.
It was clear that his parents were in total agreement with Mr. Casey, Rob's principal. In fact, they told Rob that if he were smart, he would immediately make an appointment to see the school therapist, Miss Bradford. After some reluctance, he finally gave in, phoned the school, and made an appointment to see Miss Bradford the following morning at 8:30 AM.
When Rob arrived at Miss Bradford's office, he has to wait approximately fifteen minutes before he could see her. When Miss Bradford invited him into her office, she thanked him for making the appointment and them without hesitation asked Rob if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related actions made the school administrators uneasy.
Quite frankly, Rob was at a loss for words why the school principal asked him to schedule an appointment with the school counselor. As he stated to Miss Bradford, why should he see a psychologist when virtually all of his friends drink at least as much as he does. In a word, Rob wondered why drinking was such a big issue if so many students drink.
Miss Bradford sat silent for a few minutes and then turned to Rob and told him that although his pals drink may drink as much if not a greater amount than he, the reality of the situation is that he is the one who is getting kicked out of school for alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his classmates. Then Miss Bradford explicitly stated that because of his drinking activities, he is getting himself into a negative cycle of hazardous and abusive drinking that can sooner or later prove to be counterproductive as far as his short term and long-range hopes, dreams, and plans are concerned.
Stated another way, Rob's involvement with underage drinking was starting to inhibit his ability to act in a responsible manner. As stated by Miss Bradford, "Just because most of your buddies or friends drink beer, mixed drinks, wine, hard liquor, or wine coolers does not imply that underage drinking is the healthiest and the most responsible thing for you."
Miss Bradford stressed to Rob that it can be easy to let others influence a person in an adverse way. At the end of the day, nevertheless, the person herself or himself has to be accountable for her or his actions in order to stay clear of the unhealthy, debilitating, and destructive outcomes that are routinely associated with abusive and careless drinking.
Miss Bradford also took the time to spell out some alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that applied to underage drinkers. After Miss Bradford did this, it was apparent that what she had explained to Rob was a real eye opener to him. Why? Because for the first time since he was in high school, someone made the effort to explain in concrete, demonstrable, and understandable terms the dangers of underage drinking both from a short term and a long range perspective. Not only this, but Miss Bradford also confirmed what she was saying with facts, charts, graphs, and statistics that applied especially to teens and pre-teens who engage in alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
To put things into a reasonable and commonsense framework, what Miss Bradford took the time to tell Rob greatly encouraged him to conclude that he should not be drinking at all with or without his buddies or classmates anymore. What Miss Bradford told Rib also gave him the confidence to focus more clearly on his short-term goals and plans and helped him comprehend the relevance of graduating from high school with the highest grades and the best attendance possible. Rob thanked Miss Bradford for her concern, time, and effort and for the information, facts, and statistics she shared and asked if she would call the principal, Mr. Casey, so that he could remove Robs suspension and let him return to the classroom.
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