Ask the Coach
More prom stuff Hey, Coach! I agree with your response last week that the high school student should be allowed to attend his senior prom. Without getting into any details, I also grounded my daughter for a lengthy time last spring for something far worse than just being 45 minutes late for a curfew. However, I understood the value of permitting her to attend her prom. To the boy’s dad who is not allowing his son to go, I encourage him to reconsider. There are other ways to discipline a child, while letting a senior attend their prom. This is a lifetime experience shared with a lot of friends and perhaps someone special. My daughter still thanks me to this day for letting her attend her senior prom.
Perhaps the most important thing that has happened is that we got much closer after this experience, and, for that, I will be eternally grateful.
Signed….Loving Mother
Dear Loving Mother: Your story is rather touching, and the Coach is happy to hear about the maturity your daughter has shown since her incident(s). The Coach will offer you a pat on the back for finding a way to discipline your daughter, yet still permit her to attend the prom. Of course, improving the relationship with your daughter has to feel incredibly great. Referring to last week’s column, let’s keep our fingers crossed that there is another great ending to that story. The Coach thanks you for sharing your story.
Choking-game death
Hey, Coach! Another young person died recently by “playing the choking game.” This kid had his whole life ahead of him, and this makes another death that just didn’t need to happen. What is it that makes this activity popular, and what can we do to help prevent more deaths? I have two teenagers at home, and I worry that they will do something crazy. I am not ready to bury either of my children.
Signed….Worried Sick
Dear Worried Sick: The most recent tragedy, to which you referred, may have occurred close to home in Morgantown. If the Coach is correct, there have been dozens of deaths nationwide from this activity, which, like many things, doesn’t seem to make sense to rational people. In many of these deaths, alcohol and/or drugs may have been involved, and only bad things can, and will, happen when under the influence. It is the Coach’s understanding that kids/young adults participate in this activity because it limits the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain, which supposedly brings about a rush/high. The Coach will only speak for himself, but he gets a tremendous rush/high each morning that he is blessed to wake up, and that works well enough for him. How can we prevent further deaths from this, and other, harmful activities? The Coach will offer the words “education, education and more education,” often, and starting at earlier ages. Along with that, we need to reaffirm our unconditional love for our children and let them know that we would be devastated if something ever happened to them. For parents, the Coach strongly suggests always keeping open the lines of communication. Then, you have to hope and pray that your children make educated decisions at every stop along the way, of which there are many everywhere they turn.
Coach’s Comment: Is it accurate to say that man’s main task in life is to give birth to himself? Give that some thought.
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You can contact the Coach via email at askthecoach2003@yahoo.com.