Re: Topic of the week: Dealing with inconsiderate people

April 19, 2004

OK here's one...although I'm sure I can come up with many.

FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT

One more than one occasion from more than one teacher, therapist, or

administrator...

" For what your daughter has she is doing remarkably well...... "

My reply... " Oh really how many children with Mosaic Down Syndrome and High

Functioning Autism have you come in contact with??? "

They are usually dumb struck for at least 5 minutes.And the answer is always

none.None of them have ever known a child with MDS period.

Mom to Ariel 10 going on 15

April 20, 2004

Toward the end of our last IEP meeting Tiff's classroom teacher looked at me

and asked me just what my plans were for . Tiff is in the second

grade and is mainstreamed with a full time aid. I sat back in my chair and

told her I intended for Tiff to graduate from high school with a diploma,

then I looked over at the EC Director and asked him if he thought Tiff was

in the correct environment. After giving her a look that could have killed

her on the spot he said Tiff was exactly where she needed to be right now.

You could have heard a pin drop. The other members of the IEP team actually

moved away from the table. has a wonderful aid who apologized to me

for the teachers inconsiderate comment afterwards and told me she and all

the other members had expected me to reach across the table and choke her.

Believe me, it took almost everything I had to ask the 26 year old teacher

what her degree was in and what made her an expert where my child is

concerned.

Just thought I would share with you that even people who are suppose to be

professionals can be real jerks when it comes to children with MDS.

Topic of the week: Dealing with inconsiderate people

> Hi everyone,

> The topic for this week is :Dealing with inconsiderate people.

> Have you been out in public and a person came up to you and said something

rude or just plain stupid concerning your child with MDS? I think we have

all encountered this at one time or another! Or do they just stare and walk

on the opposite side of the area you are on? What do you do in these

situations?

> Even if you have shared something like this with the group long ago,

please share it again! We constantly have new members, and we never grow

tired of hearing about you handle certain situations.

> Have a great week!

> Kristy

> 8 weeks to convention!

> Join IMDSA today at: www.imdsa.com

>

April 20, 2004

Angel,

LOL I can just picture you saying that! You know, many people seem to look down

at children that make the slightest disturbance. I wonder if she re-thought her

actions after you said that to her?

Kristy

LDSAngel77@... wrote:

was probably 2-3 yrs old, and we were waiting in a dr.s waiting room...

and of course the dr. was running late. started getting frustrated and

wrestless, whining... etc. The whole time he's grumpy, this other mother is

giving me the DIRTIEST looks!! And she just kept looking down her nose at

like he was this ROTTEN kid. Sometime later, calmed down... and HER

son started throwing a tantrum... As we were called into the dr's office for

our appt... I walked by the mother and said, " wow...my son had Down

Syndrome...what's YOUR kids problem??? "

Angel

April 20, 2004

,

In the past 15 years I have had my share of IEP's! Most teachers, even the one's

with special education degrees, just don't understand MDS! I had a social worker

ask me after Tim was dx at 2 1/2 what I expected for his future, and after

thinking on that long and hard, I told her I didn't know what to expect for any

of my children's futures! But, I would make sure they were the best that they

could be! And, so...Tim is now a junior in high school, has a reading level

about the states capabilities to test, is in all regular classes, and is passing

with A's and B's!

Remember, that YOU are the main person in an IEP! You are the decision maker!

They are just the ones that have to carry out YOUR decisions!

Kristy

Galehouse wrote: