I never suggested medication, or telling a child that they are mentally ill. "I wonder if a nice beating would have done you any good." This was a response to

I never suggested medication, or telling a child that they are mentally ill. "I wonder if a nice beating would have done you any good." This was a response to a description of severe acting out by a child. A child threatening to kill herself or her parents is not an indication of sound mental health. Hitting them will make it worse. Sufficiently dysfunctional behavior defines what it means to have a psychological problem.