When Beth married Mark, a divorced father of two troubled boys, she expected some minor blips on the child-rearing scene. However, she learned raising a child eventually deemed psychotic, schizophrenic, and homicidal was like living with a time bomb. Explosions were inevitable, but she never knew when and where the sparks would fly. Beth promised herself one thing when she and Mark were granted full custody of the boys: She would do everything in her power to help her stepsons. This chilling true story details the six-year descent into madness of four-year-old Tommy and the serious emotional disturbance of three-year-old Bobby. In desperately seeking help for them, Beth becomes their advocate, creating an all-important teamwork approach between herself and therapists, social workers and psychiatrists. The author also shares with readers how to become a positive advocate for a mentally ill child. Using real-life examples and positively focused, proven methods, this manual/guide bridges the gap that often exists between those in the mental health professions and anxious, worried parents. pp. viii, 224