Newfeld's approach is right, says Elaine Jones, whose name has been changed to protect her son's privacy. The friend was like a drug, she said. After seeing Neufeld, and making an effort to do more family-oriented activities, her son is back to his old self, says Jones. He is warm, he has conversations with us, he talks about his school work, he is back with us. Neufeld says punishment or authoritativeness would not work in this type of situation.
Punishment misses the point that the children are taking cues from each other.
The only way they could break the cycle is not through 'teaching a lesson,' but through changing their working attachments.