Comments on: Please Don’t Tell My Kid She Can Do Anything

By: Amysilverman

Amysilverman — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 13:51:55 +0000

Thank you Lorie! I will most definitely research this!

By: Lorie Garver

Lorie Garver — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 01:33:46 +0000

Amy, this just totally pisses me off and is the reason I left teaching in gifted ed programs years ago in Indiana. So much (if not everything) I had been trained to do with “gifted kids” was GOOD FOR ALL KIDS. I hate the exclusionary nature of gifted ed! At one point, I was trained to implement the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, created by Dr. Joseph Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis from the University of Connecticut. Please google and research this and use as ammunition in your quest for ALL KIDS to have the opportunity for enrichment opportunities, especially for Sophie to be in the drama after school program. ESPECIALLY the drama program, for God’s sake. This is so freaking ridiculous I can’t stand it. I’m embarrassed and ashamed that public education can be so cruel, unreasonable, and close-minded.

By: laurie

laurie — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 23:42:04 +0000

OMG. THis was one of your best yet. And Jen missed the point. I want Sophie to have options, too. She deserves them.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 17:58:16 +0000

I just sent an article the Minneapolis Star Tribune did on the new college program at East Bethel University. It was really promising! One person mentioned in the article was working in a bridal shop; a job she obtained on her own. In the Build program they even offer a specialty in the arts. Nobody knows what the future holds, but I hope people keep pushing for more opportunities!

By: Amy Silverman

Amy Silverman — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 13:42:57 +0000

Hey Jen — I can’t speak for the comments, but did you read my post? My point (at least the point I tried to make) was that now that I am Sophie’s mom, I can see why bagging groceries is in many ways the perfect job for someone with intellectual disabilities. My other point is that I don’t care how awesome a job like bagging groceries is — it shouldn’t be the ONLY option. I’m sorry you didn’t leave a way to get in touch directly, I’d love to send this to you that way to make sure you see it. Like I said in the post, bagging groceries is hard, valued work and there’s a sense of community (if you do it right, I’m sure there are crappy working conditions) but really, there need to be a lot more options out there. What if you only had one choice for making a living?

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 02:12:20 +0000

My cousin was a grocery bagger. We were thrilled for him to reach a point where he was able to independently work and find pride in a job well done. He was popular and customers would go out of their way to get in “his” lane. He loved the social aspect, and people loved him. He learned to ride the bus to work, he budgeted his money and had his own bank account. His job as a bagger opened his world wide. He was a great success.

After reading the article and comments, I do find it somewhat offensive to intimate that while this job is okay for *some* intellectually disabled people, it’s not nearly good enough for your children. It does sound snobby. My aunt knew her dreams for her son had to change from the ones she carried in her heart for the nine months she carried him. It was hard to come to the realization that his opportunities and limitations were going to be different from other kids. She never once would have looked down on someone for doing an honest job, whether or not they had special needs. She loved and encouraged, but was realistic. It would have ripped her heart out to know other parents, in the same boat as she, no less, are looking down on people making their way in the world.

There is nothing wrong with shooting for the stars, for trying to find your niche and filling it the best way you can. Your children may not bag groceries, then again, perhaps they will. Whatever they do, hopefully they will be happy.

I can still see my cousin’s face as he worked. He’s been gone for 15 years now; I’m glad he found work he truly enjoyed and found satisfying.

Have you ever shopped at Fresh & Easy? All lanes are self checkout, and you bag your own items. You wouldn’t feel rushed at the checkout, and I’ve only ever had good experiences there with the employees.

By: Turkish MOmmy

Turkish MOmmy — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 06:22:01 +0000

i do agree with you. telling ,claiming our kiddos with that extra chromosome can do anything is wrong for many many reasons.. i enjoy following the DS groups but tbh after 2 years i am getting kind bored of seeing ” my kid can / did this!wohooo, he/she is awesome ” posts by parents.

By: sam

sam — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 23:54:04 +0000

don’t ever buy that plateau in terms of learning thing .. ..which learning are they talking about anyway. . .. (maybe I plateaued before technology came in and that’s why even writing a comment like this is such a success) . Sophie will learn what she’s motivated and WANTS to conquer . she’s that kind of dear, tenacious human being . .she’s her own delightful self – entitled to sample the whole smorkasborg. She’lll do life with her own twist. You’ve opened the door. . . that’s what we do as parents . we give them the cheers they need to walk, prance, dance , skip or shuffle through it . .to embrace whatever’s next – How dare a teacher buy into plateaus. . .it’s an excuse for giving up not giving

By: Heidi Farrow

Heidi Farrow — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 22:05:25 +0000

Loved the article. My daughter, Thea (11) loves to help out at the grocery store, especially with the bagging. One day a cashier jubilantly exclaimed something to me like “she’s so good at that, maybe she can be a bagger here one day.” And, I replied “I have bigger dreams than that for her” and went on about my business. I realized later that I may have sounded snobby and it was a comment that may have insulted the person who was bagging (who did not have special needs . . . even if the bagger did have special needs who am I to belittle that job). I just don’t want Thea to have a stereotypical job. But I’ve come to terms that if Thea likes bagging and that it will make her happy then that’s all I want for her.

By: KimAZ

KimAZ — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:15:05 +0000

Right. Right. Right.
I can’t be anything I want to be. Neither can you, my kids, or Sophie and Annabelle. We don’t want unnecessary limits put on them, either, whether because of lack of aptitude in an area, the fact that they’re female, or any other constraints.
You really nailed this.