I once had a family that came in with a teenager who was out of control, spoiled, disrespectful.

How could it not be?

The next two stories explained it all to me.

This was a rich family. The parents had sent their son to get some money from the ATM with his card. Then they forgot to give him the card. Three months and twenty-five thousand dollars later they asked him about it.

Now my first thought was that I would like to get to the place in life where I would not lose twenty-five thousand dollars for three months.

Although the story continues. When they walked in, he had already bought her a new car which she wrecked. And then they bought him another new car.

After working with them for several sessions, he wrecked that car and then they bought him another. I told them that if that happened again, I would be fired from the case.

Sure enough, it happened again. And sure enough, I fired myself.

Crippled by a missing word

In my opinion, I could not participate in a situation that paralyzed this child and the parents were not willing to change it.

The parents were paralyzing this child for the real world by leaving out a single word.

That word is no.