Question

Brennan is a sedentary 9 year old. He is a lovable and affectionate young boy with a very high IQ, but struggles and complains when asked to walk 1/8 mile up to the road and back. He is a master of building Legos, is wild about watching cartoons, and is a whiz at computer games. He is an obese child who has been recently diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. His paternal grandfather has diabetes. Brennan's older brother, Kent, age 14, is a state champion wrestler who knows and practices the value of good nutrition and exercise, but always likes picking fights with his younger brother Brennan. They have a very immature relationship. The boys live with their Mother (Business Woman) and see their Father (a star Collegiate and Olympic athlete) every other weekend as per their divorce.

Brennan does not like fruits or vegetables, except for very ripe bananas. He gags on peanut butter and asks for the juice to be squeezed out of grapes in order to consider eating them. He eats a regular diet of Fritos, strawberry donuts, whole milk, bacon and Bar S Wieners. He does not like water. The boys' maternal grandparents care for the boys occasionally and are overweight as well. They spoil both children, buy them junk food and don't feel that it is their responsibility to discipline the boys. They feel that discipline is the responsibility of the boys' parents.

• Based on what you now know, what basic advise would you give to this family?
• What, specifically, would you advise for Brennan, for Kent, for the parents, and for the Grandparents?
• What do you see as the biggest issue? What would your Williams text authors suggest in this case? Cite your source(s) and page number(s).

Answer 1

My advice:

Everyone should spend quality time with each other. This will improve the understanding between them. When they will understand themselves, they will actually able to know the problems and when they will know the problems they will easily get solutions. There will be unity. They will understand their responsibilities. They live a peaceful life without much complication. Why I tell these, it will be clear after reading the below advises.

My advice for Brennan:

Brennan is just 9 years old boy having a disorder. According to me, he is okay in his place. Things he does are common in the Autism spectrum. He doesn't need to do anything. Their family should take care of him and do the right things that can improve his health condition.

My advice for Kent :

He is older than Brennan. He knows about the health problem of his brother, Brennan. He should behave more politely with his younger brother. He should not fight with his brother. He is athletic so he should play with Brennan and he has the knowledge of nutrition so he should suggest a healthy diet to Brennan. Playing and a good diet will be great for Brennan to improve his physical as well as mental development. He should tell Brennan that water is so much important for our body and should follow his brother's water taking amount in a day. By knowing nutritional value he should not take any type of junk food given by his grandparents and also should not give to his brother. But after all, he is also young so it is the responsibility of his parents and his grandparents to tell him how to behave with his young brother.

My advice to parents :

Both are separated means they have lots of issues between them. But being a parent of two young children they should forget their own problems and needs to give time to their children. They should take care of their children, especially Brennan. Brennan needs more attention of their parents. I understand that Brennan's mom is a working woman so it's really difficult to maintain work life and personal life. But after all, she is a mother so she has to take care of her children. And the same thing applies to their dad also because children are their both. So they need to talk to each other and should spend time with their children. Parents are the first teacher of every child. So their parents should do their responsibility properly.

My advice to Grandparents :

Have thought that children are not their own so they don't have any responsibility is very bad. They know that the children's parents have no good communication and both are busy in their life, their own daughter has a business so she can't give that much time so it is their responsibility to take care of their grandchildren. They should not give junk food much to the children. They are older than everyone in this family, they have experienced so they should support their daughter, should give advice to her that how to take care of a child. Finally, they should take care of themselves also. They are overweighted so they need to take a proper diet especially Grandfather as he has diabetes.

The biggest issue of this family is carelessness. They don't care about each other. And do not have an understanding with each other.