ABSTRACT
As a family physician, I have the privilege of providing care for not only children but their parents as well, and one of the things I notice in particular is that as children reach adolescence, I see the children less and the parents more often. I now understand why. After the parents have struggled for years to do everything right and raise their children to be functional and acceptable members of society, Adolescence rears its ugly head and appears to undermine all of the parents' good work. What once was a cherubic, wellmannered child with rosy cheeks and a winning smile is metamorphosed seemingly overnight into a hairy creature with an attitude, raging hormones, and complete absence of personal hygiene skills. This sudden loss of control on the part of the parent, coupled with the realization that all of those years of loving effort have just ®zzled like a wet ®recracker, is enough to drive the parents to emotional and physical distraction and prompts frequent visits to the physician.
