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OK, we’ll admit that New Year’s resolutions were made for one purpose and one purpose only — to be broken. Though we both have maintained all of ours (to give up sky diving, to stop saving too much money, to try and let loose a little). But when we came across the great article below from Maggie at 5minutesforspecialneeds.com, we thought this is one resolution worth making and keeping — the resolution not to give your power to others, particularly mean spirited, insensitive people who judge our children.
We have to ask, WWIYD? What Would Imperfect You Do if put in this terrible situation. We think Maggie handled it better than we would have (we would have thrown our newly bought eggs at her).
Reference: Resolution: Don’t to Give Your Power to Others by Maggie
I worry about my 12 y.o. boy because of his Tourette’s. As he get older the compulsion to say, do things that cross the line may get him in real trouuble. For now, I’m trying to teach him to rise above meaness from people who don’t know about his Tourette’s and I’m teaching him to advocate for himself by speaking up and educating people who are aware but are just ignorant. His 5th grade principal once towered over him while scolding, “WHY would you say such a thing?”. I came across this scene when I was in the school volunteering. I wanted to tear her apart, but I kept it together and over the weekend I inundated her email with educational materials about Tourette’s.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s comment “No on can make you feel inferior unles you let them” or words to the effect comes to mind.
I use to get that alot because my now 16 yo is ADHD, NVLD, sensory intergration disorder among other issues. People presume spare the rod spoil the child without ever thinking or understanding things may not quite be as they seem.
The best gift to give a parent who is having a difficult time whether or not the child has special needs is a smile and postive comment – What a different world we would have.