Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Last year, I ran a social skills group for young kids with high functioning autism - they ranged between the ages of 4-6.

I did this all through my pregnancy.

Not only did I sit on the floor, jump up to redirect kids, but one of the kids had a bathroom issue.

He asked to go to the bathroom a little too late, and pretty much crapped his pants and the entire bathroom where I worked.

His mom and the other moms went to a nearby diner, so 9 mts pregnant, I am cleaning this kid's pants, cleaning the floor, and vomiting at the same time.

The mom came back in the middle, and proceeded to yell at me. NOT thank me for cleaning her son's crap, which was not in my job description, ever. She yelled and asked me why I didn't prevent this from happening, on and on and on.

Then, when the playgroup was over, the dad came in and continued yelling at me as I sat with my big stomach and apparently exhausted - no joke - this was 2 weeks before I gave birth. Then he blamed me for being "blase."

I simply said - "Look, I'm not that upset about it, and I was the one who cleaned it up."

I certainly did not receive a tip.

I did not receive one thank you from any of the parents I worked with, after I talked their crying, frightened children from under tables and chairs, and in a few weeks were proclaiming how much they liked their friends and wanted playdates with them. All of these are kids who never had a playdate in their lives.

And, the parents always had something to complain about. Everything was an issue.

I learned from the experience - mostly how to always expect crap from people,and be peasantly surprised whenever I get a thank you. I can count how many thank yous I have received on one hand in the 12 years I have been in this field. No joke.

And, there are no tip jars involved in any of this...

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I've been there too

I used to work at a school for the developmentally disabled- I loved the work and found it rewarding- but sometimes it was ALOT to take on.

I admire you for sticking with it while 9 months pregnant!

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Posted by kahlua716

I've been there too

I used to work at a school for the developmentally disabled- I loved the work and found it rewarding- but sometimes it was ALOT to take on.

I admire you for sticking with it while 9 months pregnant!

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

i know this isnt the point of the post BUT do you know of any programs like this that are currently running? Anything close to Queens? thanks!

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I hear you...I am a school psychologist at a preschool and last week, cleaned a child's diarrhea off the floor. Certainly not in my job description, and when the school expresses concern to the parent about her son's health, we get told that we're overreacting! No tips there. I was happy during holiday time when one parent gave me a box of chocolates and another gave me a little Christmas teddy bear!

I'm amazed that you were able to do that at 9 months pregnant!

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

You know Liza..... I've been meaning to *talk* to you about social skills training when working with kids with autism.

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I always say thank you...

Maybe that is why everyone always makes me feel that Ariel is so EXCEPTIONAL...I have been told THOUSANDS of times what a great kid she is and how they always have room for her in any program....

While I truly appreciate all of these programs I have met tons of parents who simply just seem like they cant be bothered...they say they want there kids to have friends yet they cant take a couple hours out of their day for their child...

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Posted by Superkat

Posted by lipglossjunky73

I can count how many thank yous I have received on one hand in the 12 years I have been in this field. No joke.

You may not hear thank you's from the parents of those children, but I extend my PERSONAL thanks that there is someone so caring taking care of children with special needs. It may be a thankless job but you are an amazing person for filling that void.

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I work with a similar population as an occupational therapist - autism and developmentally delayed---and I am THRILLED when I hear a simple thank you or get a thank you in a communication notebook. I have been doing my job for 7+ years and I too can count the amount of thank yous I have received in those years and I find that very sad. There are no raises, no tips, and most of the time no recognition for all the hard work that "we" put into our careers. I am more than happy and feel successful when a child reaches a milestone or succeeds with something that at one time someone didn't think they were going to be able to!
But it would also be nice to get a thank you from the parents every once in awhile also

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Posted by wp

I work with a similar population as an occupational therapist - autism and developmentally delayed---and I am THRILLED when I hear a simple thank you or get a thank you in a communication notebook. I have been doing my job for 7+ years and I too can count the amount of thank yous I have received in those years and I find that very sad. There are no raises, no tips, and most of the time no recognition for all the hard work that "we" put into our careers. I am more than happy and feel successful when a child reaches a milestone or succeeds with something that at one time someone didn't think they were going to be able to!
But it would also be nice to get a thank you from the parents every once in awhile also

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I hate that some people espically families don't appreciate how much work you put in and everything that you do for these people.

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I must say, I applaud you for your work. I know how stressful parents can be, and that you stuck with it when you were pregnant! I know I couldn't have.

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Well, the parents are always stressed, and will be worried for the rest of their lives and I can't imagine going through that as a parent... and sometimes, no matter how many gains their children make, they will sometimes just see the huge gaps staring them in the face, and that has to be awful, so I can't blame them... they really cannot see the forest from the trees....

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

You see the glass half full, dont you!

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Posted by JackieandJustin

You see the glass half full, dont you!

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by JackieandJustin

You see the glass half full, dont you!

Wellll...... I always have to put things in perspective...

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

my sister does the same thing as you and it's waring her out at 24

she works in a year round school, gets few days off- and even is expected to paint her class room

(on top of getting hit, bitten and potty training)

I give you guys all the credit in the world- I wouldn't last 5 second

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

My SIL is a TA at a school for children with disabiltiies. The stories she has.
Potty training 6 year olds, messes she cleans up, etc.
She works very hard and I know her salary is not that great.. Why does she do it? She loves it. She loves the kids.
She is the one who never ever calls in sick. She really likes being there.
They have a communication book in the class. Some parents leave speific notes saying "Do This", "Don't do this"...No Thank You's.

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I think you are amazing for doing what you do! People who work with kids are truly special, and those who work with developmentally challenged kids are more so!

This post just really reminded me about something that happened today. I think I realized just how much motherhood really changed me and how I look at everything differently now.

I was walking to the library during lunch this afternoon and saw a woman pushing a wheelchair with a severally mentally challenged boy in it. I am not sure how old he was, but definitely past his teens. He let our a loud scream and my heard was just breaking because all I could think off was that he has a mother and may be the woman pushing his wheel chair is her and how much pain that woman lives with every single second of her life.

Every time I see a kid like that, I think that this child, locked in his own strange bizzar world, not able to come out of it, is someone's child, someone's pain, someone's punishment, someone's unfulfilled dream, someone love... It is horrible that these things happen, horrible that we still don't know how to prevent it...

In the mean time, I have received a letter today asking me to protest the cutting of fond to early intervention program. I will certainly do that! How can they be cutting something like that when there are so many kids desperately needing help, EI being their only chance...

Re: Just to share the type of people I have worked with....warning, really gross

I hear you loud and clear! Although I am not picking up crap (thank the Lord) I am being screamed at, harrassed and personally attacked by parents and their kids on a regular basis. Also looking over my shoulder when I walk out to my car at the end of the day. I can count on one hand how many thank yous I have recieved!