Teaching self-control is one of the first tasks of the parent and the teacher. As we will see in Chapter 6, a child’s self-control at age 11 or 14 is a good predictor of the child’s health and happiness 20 years later, when the child is in his or her 30s. But if that child has been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and is put on powerful medication to control behavior, then the child’s self-control may be undermined.
