Pure Recruiting on Struggling Teens?

[Anonymous]

Yes, Lon knows that I know Sue.
No, Sue did not refer or send us to any particular program.
Yes, Sue knows of the schools we used for our son.
No, we found the schools on our own and didn't use an educational consultant.

You don't just know Sue, you endorse Sue.  There was and is no need for you to solicit for sharing privately your story, is there?  The parents you are soliciting privately could have heard about your experience right there on Lon's forum.  The only need you would have had to go private would have been to?

[Anonymous]

Personally, I don't get why any parent would turn to a support group for ADVICE on what to do for a suicidal child. Children come in all different shapes, colors and sizes.  One child's depression is not the same as another's. This parent should have consulted with a mental health professional and steered cleared of well-meaning parents who simply are NOT as qualified as they like to think they are.

[Mrs.D.VA]

You people are so aggravating and so hung-up on your "professionalism" that you end up driving "non-professionals" from your web site.  Anybody with an ounce of common sense realizes that you need to seek professional assistance for high-risk situations.  No one is advocating that a "non-professional" should substitute for "professional" help.

However, human nature is such that people want to bond with others that have been through similar situations.  "Professionals" are not the only source of compassion and empathy for people going through difficult times.  So, one more time, lighten-up!

And again, what's wrong with communicating directly with a person?  Life is not a forum.

By the way, where does it say I endorse Sue?  Because I know her?  Because she listened when I needed someone to talk to (called compassion, empathy, etc.)?  Because I've let her place my name on her web site so other parents can talk of similar situations and issues, and bond?

Talking and communicating one-on-one are ways for information on personal experiences to be exchanged without  hurting or jeopardizing the privacy of a child.  Parents talking to parents.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-26 13:04:00, Mrs.D.VA wrote:

"You people are so aggravating and so hung-up on your "professionalism" that you end up driving "non-professionals" from your web site.  Anybody with an ounce of common sense realizes that you need to seek professional assistance for high-risk situations.  No one is advocating that a "non-professional" should substitute for "professional" help.



However, human nature is such that people want to bond with others that have been through similar situations.  "Professionals" are not the only source of compassion and empathy for people going through difficult times.  So, one more time, lighten-up!



And again, what's wrong with communicating directly with a person?  Life is not a forum.



By the way, where does it say I endorse Sue?  Because I know her?  Because she listened when I needed someone to talk to (called compassion, empathy, etc.)?  Because I've let her place my name on her web site so other parents can talk of similar situations and issues, and bond?



Talking and communicating one-on-one are ways for information on personal experiences to be exchanged without  hurting or jeopardizing the privacy of a child.  Parents talking to parents."

And in too many cases--not necessarily yours (but who'd know?)--Parents getting kickbacks for sucking parents into a particular program.

Yeah, people want to talk to people who've been through similar stuff.

They *don't* want to be taken advantage of by people who have "been there"----but who don't disclose that they're getting kickbacks for recruiting into a particular program or programs.

And whether *you* are personally on the level or not, there has been an epidemic of these programs giving kickbacks to their program parents to get them to recruit for the program.

Nobody who meets you over the internet *should* trust you---you're just some random person on the internet.  Nobody you know should trust you if you're recommending for a program your kid is in, or for a program your kid has been in in the past, without making darned sure you aren't being paid to shill for the program.

You, personally, may not be out shilling for a program and may be driven purely by the milk of human kindness.

But too many just like you are driven by ulterior motives.

Other parents have every reason to be extremely skeptical of you, or me, or *anybody* they meet on the internet.

Hell, who trusts a friend who sells Amway?

[Anonymous]

By the way, where does it say I endorse Sue? Because I know her? Because she listened when I needed someone to talk to (called compassion, empathy, etc.)? Because I've let her place my name on her web site so other parents can talk of similar situations and issues, and bond?

It says on the PURE site you are a PURE volunteer.  If that is not an endorsement, what is it?  People don't usually go around putting their names and email addresses on sites that they don't endorse.

[Anonymous]

That's twice Mrs. D.VA (pronounced Diva) has told people to "lighten up" so as to spare her any further aggravation.  Pleeeeease, get over yourself, Mrs. Diva.  Life may not be a forum (this coming from a lady with nearly 600 posts on the Struggling Teens Forum) but if it were, thank God for FORNITS!

 ::kiss::

[Anonymous]

Caution, you are about to enter a no B.S. zone.

Some parents have a compulsive need to control the thoughts and actions of their children and because adolescence is by nature's law a "rite of passage" most teens NEED and WANT to navigate without Mom or Dad butting in 24/7, control-hungry parents get out the checkbook and write their program-of-choice a check to satisfy their need to control their kid's attitude and behavior.

The Programs know this, as does the child.  The only ones who don't get it, are the parents.

So who is the stupid one?

 :silly:

[Anonymous]

Debbie:

Someone made a valid point to question the purpose in posting the class action suit on Struggling Teens.  What is your personal experience with WWASP?  Seems you are a puppet for putting that out there.

For credibility sake, your sharing is awesome on struggling teens.  To keep your credibility, be careful of who you choose to support and how.

[Anonymous]

(QUOTE)
By the way, where does it say I endorse Sue? Because I know her? Because she listened when I needed someone to talk to (called compassion, empathy, etc.)? Because I've let her place my name on her web site so other parents can talk of similar situations and issues, and bond? (QUOTE)

Debbie, this statement sounds like the same ole' song and dance other so-called PURE volunteers have used.  Personally, I object to program parents calling themselves "professionals" and dispensing advice on the Internet under the guise of sharing their experience.  After all, we are not talking about toasters, here.  We are talking about an industry largely driven by word-of-mouth referrals.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-26 22:26:00, Anonymous wrote:

"(QUOTE)

By the way, where does it say I endorse Sue? Because I know her? Because she listened when I needed someone to talk to (called compassion, empathy, etc.)? Because I've let her place my name on her web site so other parents can talk of similar situations and issues, and bond? (QUOTE)



Debbie, this statement sounds like the same ole' song and dance other so-called PURE volunteers have used.  Personally, I object to program parents calling themselves "professionals" and dispensing advice on the Internet under the guise of sharing their experience.  After all, we are not talking about toasters, here.  We are talking about an industry largely driven by word-of-mouth referrals.



"

Hello?  Anybody who would send their child off to a private prison on the advice of some stranger they met on the internet is either incredibly gullible, or incredibly evil, or is a complete and total nutcase who needs to up their dose.

You wouldn't, personally, date some random joe you'd just met over the internet---why in the bloody hell would you set your child up on a year (or more) long blind date based on the "advice" of some random joe you just met over the internet.

God, talk about stupid!

[Anonymous]

http://www.strugglingteens.com/cgi-bin/ ... 4;t=000028

Sly!  What OTHER specialty boarding schools are being threatened?  They are ALL the same as far as allegations of abuse.  You latched on to the PURE wagon on this one, for sure!

Rest easy tonight, dear D VA.  May you never be attacked like you are attacking.

[Anonymous]

Professional Parents are 100% self-regulated. What does that tell you about these for-profit schools and programs who pay PP's for referrals?

CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!!!!
(Buyer Beware)

 :flame:

[Anonymous]

How can a parent verify if the program someone referred them to paid that person a referral fee?

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-28 17:13:00, Anonymous wrote:

"How can a parent verify if the program someone referred them to paid that person a referral fee?



"

Precisely.  Let the buyer beware, indeed.

Again, you're going to send your kid off on a year-long blind date based on the word of some random idiot with a keyboard you met on the internet?!

Not smart.  Not smart at all.

[Anonymous]

Anons, does a parent who believes they were misled about the features and benefits of a program referred to them by a 3rd party have any recourse?  Seems to me they could really be up a creek without a program (oops, I meant paddle) because of the caveat emptor (aka "disclaimer").