I came across the following slogan a few days ago.
“Forgive me, I had no idea you were an expert on raising a child with special needs since you don’t have one. Please, continue while I take notes.”
To me during my life raising David, this slogan at times sums up how I felt and how when dealing with some professional, how they made me feel.
At the early stages of meeting so many different therapists, doctors, practitioners, etc. I assumed they knew so much more than me about my child. How wrong was I. They were very well educated on my child’s diagnoses, however, they knew very little about David or took an interest in how to get the best out of him.
Was this down to time pressure, workloads or lack of training, I don’t honestly know.
A word of advice, before you take on board any suggestions, let them get to know your child, give them all the information about him/her as a person. Show them your Hospital Passport.
What has worked?
What has not?
Likes, dislikes everything, no matter how small.
Professional are not magicians, they have abilities and want to help your child reach the best of their goals, but they can’t do it without your help. They may be an expert on “condition/diagnoses” but you are the expert on your child.
If we all work together then our children will ultimately benefit the most and isn’t that what we all want both parents and professionals. When you find a “Goodie” who takes their job as a vocation and wants to really help, make sure you thank them for this.
