Telling People about my Child's Depression

I'm very up front maybe to a fault, but my attitude is I don't want anyone to say "He's acting a little strange" or "Why is he standing in line punching his mother like this, doesn't she realize that he shouldn't?" That isn't acceptable behavior, but if you have a kid who's out of control or who's bipolar you are used to such a range of behaviors that you'd be shocked at what you start considering normal behavior. So, I'm very up front about it and tell people he has bipolar. I also make recommendations to people such as, he needs eleven hours of sleep, exercise everyday, and you must be calm with him because if you yell at him that could set off a rage. Who knows what people are saying behind my back but that's the way I prefer to do it, just to be totally up front. I use humor a lot and joke about him having his bipolar moments, even in front of his friends.