<p>It’s a cliche.</p>
<p>"CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) – About two-thirds of U.S. children will go through a traumatic event in their childhood but few are likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder, U.S. researchers said Monday.</p>
<p>The finding reveals a certain emotional resilience in children, but it also suggests that the way children process troubling experiences is different from adults, said William Copeland of Duke University Medical Center, whose study appeared in the Archives of General Psychiatry.</p>
<p>Copeland and colleagues conducted annual interviews with 1,420 kids at ages 9, 11, and 13 who were representative of the general U.S. population between 1993 and 2000.</p>
<p>By age 16, 68 percent of those studied had experienced at least one traumatic event, such as the violent death of a loved one, physical abuse by a relative, sexual abuse, fire, natural disaster or a serious accident.</p>
<p>“It was a little shocking to me that it was that high,” Copeland said in a telephone interview…"<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/05/07/trauma.kids.reut/index.html”>http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/05/07/trauma.kids.reut/index.html</a></p>
<p>Interesting article, but as to the “cliche” part – so is any number of positive essay topics the student might choose (“My summer volunteering in Guatemala” - “Why I admire my High School Basketball Coach” - “Life with my Grandfather”). </p>
<p>I think it is the individual’s response to the event that is most important and most worthy (or unworthy) of an essay topic. I think in general students need to avoid “poor me” topics or topics that might make readers very uncomfortable, such as accounts of sexual abuse – but if the “overcoming” part has a positive spin – or if it is simply important for understanding the context of a student’s life – it can make for a compelling story. I mean, the kid who has no EC’s because she was responsible for preparing meals and caring for younger siblings while the mother was undergoing chemotherapy has a story that ought to be told, one way or another.</p>
<p>It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. You can write a cliche-ridden sob story, or you can write a beautiful or humorous portrait of getting to know your younger siblings better while being responsible for them.</p>
<p>A good writer can make any subject interesting, just as a good teacher can make you want to learn about anything.</p>
<p>absolutely, mommusic. It matters how the subject responded to the traumatic event that makes for a possibly interesting story, and how that response is expressed in an essay.</p>
<p>When my oldest was applying to college, the most common prompt was, “What obstacles have you overcome and how?”
To make matters worse, he was advised in school to NOT write about sports challenges, injuries, school activities (how we planned the dance/fundraiser/etc), divorce, death, or other family tragedies. I used to wonder, what the heck do they want?!!!</p>
<p>This year, my youngest applied and was not asked the question even once! I wonder- did they get tired of hearing the hackneyed responses?</p>
<p>Edit- the year oldest applied, we were hit by three hurricanes! He was also advised not to write about that, since everyone in Florida would be.</p>