It has been many years since I read the book, Lord of the Flies. Put children in charge with no common sense direction, and watch violence and choas break out.
Peter Pan, the play and the cartoon, romanticized child leadership. Maybe that is why, as an adult, when I watched the shows of Peter Pan (especially the knock off. HOOK, with Robin Williams), I found them troubling.
I can't unsee what I have seen.
One middle school character is holding Lord of the Flies in a movie about a horrible day. The parents in that movie are caricature of parents. The sanest person in the movie is the elementary school aged boy. Maybe too many families are like that these days. In most movies, all can end well. Pretend is good in movies, but not so much in real life.
In some families, child leadership is king to the detriment of the family and world. Remember, think globally, act locally begins in the home.
When autopsies are done after every nationally televised school traumatic event or those gone unnoticed (except to those of us paying attention on a more local level), the findings lead right back to the home. Somewhere along the way, parents usurped their responsibilities, and gave the reigns over to the children on a full time basis. This includes missing health related causes to violence. Do CST really understand? They are limited in their scope.
We all have those, "when did I lose control" moments but positive parenting can correct the trajectory that leads to destruction.
I have to laugh at the "orange man bad" hateful rhetoric. "Orange man" did not raise dysfuctional children. I can not say the same about the father with the son's laptop controversy or his own showering issue as outlined in a diary. Not sure crack cocaine is anything of which to be proud. No, the conservative media did not make up the laptop or diary. Some people, like with school issues, just buried their heads. Bad apple?
Read my post,"B" and His Mom. There was some Lord of the Flies in that story.
I live in a city which is experiencing youth trouble and violence in the business part of the downtown and other parts of the city. Curfews and police presence is needed to keep the visitors, residents and in-office workers safe. Chaperoning is needed. Updated at 8:36 pm. They just released info that the suspect shooter in Market Square two weeks ago is 16.
The government loves to take control when families fail. Do we really want the government up in our business that much?
Do you really want your child's initials tied to your last name all over the media? JT has been in the media now for over three years, starting at the age of six. Mom's in jail and her name is public. When did she lose control? Was it before JT climbed up on her dresser and took the gun out of her purse? Did he ingest the marijuana too? (THINK about it?) Read the post, What about JT?
Sometimes parenting can be very difficult. It is not meant to be a solo endeavor. Remember, it takes two to make the child.
How is this related to mental health as it relates to school violence? If you have been paying attention, you already can connect dots.
Stay tuned. More blog posts to come.
Marian R. Carlino
June 5, 2026