Wit's End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-Of-Control Teen

A great resource for parents who are trying to manage the seemingly unmanageable process of their child's addiction. The book provides a thorough overlay of the recovery landscape. A worthwhile read.

Reviewed by Danelle Drake for Reader Views (9/08) Newborn children do not come with a guide, sure wish they did. We place the precious cargo into the car-seat, take it home, and do the best we can. Regardless of family background, household demographic or income, there is nobody who lives the perfect life. Although we all want the best for our children, and do what we can, sometimes things don't go as planned. If our children become out-of-control, use drugs or drink alcohol, participate in sexual acts, or become violent, we don't always know how to react. We try what we can, but sometimes we find ourselves at wit's end, submerged in guilt and angry at both our child and ourselves. If you are a parent with an out-of-control child seeking alternatives and information, "Wit's End" can be your light at the end of the tunnel. Step-by-step information will help you choose the right program for your child's needs, ways to seek financial assistance, and information about Parents' Universal Resources Experts (P.U.R.E.) that will help you gain the tools you need to make the decisions you are faced with. I do admit that I was skeptical when I first began reading the book. How could someone just send their child away when they really needed you? When your child was away, troubled, are you sure they are getting the care they need? After reading the challenges and brutally honest account of Sue and more-importantly, her daughter Ashlyn, you realize what courage and strength it takes for a parent to make the decision that could change their child's life forever. Because of Sue's lack of knowledge at the time she was going through this terror with her child, she did not always know where to turn and her child suffered because of it. We learn from the decisions she made. Ashlyn is an amazing young person that understands her mother did not intentionally place her in a situation where she, as well as her mother, would loose control. They both weathered the storm and came away wishing to fight for each young person that could ever face the same situation and guide them to a better resolution. "Wit's End" by Sue Scheff is both informative and enlightening. Regardless of the situation, something good can come of it.

I'm sure all parents can relate-one of the most trying times in life is when your child hits the teenage years. An era where you go from "hero" to "zero" since your precious bundle has discovered there is more to life than you, your ideals, or your family. These are commonplace experiences that make instant fodder for sermon illustrations and late-night comedy episodes. A commensurate increase in use of headache medication can be measured in family medicine cabinets everywhere. Unfortunately, not all ills can be solved with medication. Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, teenagers end up in places you would have never imagined. Sneaking out, drugs, sexuality: the travesties that accompany wanting to live life without regulation cause many sleepless nights. Any parent who has been there can relate. I know I can...I lived it personally. I had to make the tough decision to have a child put into residential placement for awhile. There are times when you feel as if no one understands what you are dealing with. Conversations with family and colleagues results in furrowed brows that seem to say, "What's wrong with you? Can't you control your kid?" Tears well up inside because you feel the answer should be, "Apparently...I can't." Sue Scheff has written a marvelous work in Wit's End. The title adequately describes the frustration that parents in this circumstance face and the feelings they deal with. Wit's End demonstrates the dilemma that Sue endured with her daughter-but more importantly, it provides tools to help the struggling parent who is considering residential therapy. Her suggestions are not "pie in the sky" wishful thinking as her experiences actually resulted in her founding Parents' Universal Resources Experts, Inc (P.U.R.E.) to help families in turmoil. I had occasion to correspond with Ms. Scheff before this book was published. If you are engaged in just such a dilemma this book is written for you. Armchair Interview agrees.