Ima keep it real with y’all. As someone diagnosed with autism, I probably would have preferred this over being a lab rat for all sorts of mental bullshit I’m still unlearning to this day. I had to grow up with being as separated from neurotypical students as far as my IEP allowed. Hell, one of the things was a one on one aide, which was literally just a babysitter that would follow you everywhere and just remind students that you’re autistic btw, it would sure be a shame if you guys bullied him.
But hey, kids with ADHD are fine. Glad we both agree on that part, redditor.
I’ve got a lot of experience with “just discipline them”. I’m diagnosed too, and from my experience the only discipline I learned from this approach was the kind required not to kill these people as they went off on their adult tantrums because I didn’t shake so-and-sos hand. The only structure I learned was the kind that enabled me not to see my parents for 20 years. It was being punished for who I am because people who hate children decided to pursue a career working with children while telling me that my issues weren’t real and I just needed to stop being such a moron. I guess it was character-building to be borderline suicidal for the majority of my childhood though.
I watched the man who decided to “just discipline” me lose his wife, his job, and his entire life. It wasn’t even his fault but as awful as it sounds it felt pretty fucking good watching his life crumble after the way he acted. The man paddled me every day for a year and laughed about it. Made fun of me in front of adults. My “disciplinary plan” was one lick with the paddle for each late assignment over the year. So if something was late by a day in October, I was getting hit for it in May. I was 13.
More than once I’ve thought of going to where he works now in one of my nicer suits to spit on him in front of his coworkers. He wasn’t the reason for my depression, anxiety, and all of the other things that were wrong with me. But he did contribute to my poor mental health.
They say the best revenge is living well. It’s working alright for me these days. And he’s no longer in a position to do that to anyone else so I won’t go spit on him today.
glad you made it through that comrade. Kids who have been made to feel suicidal throughout their childhood and survive are very literally braver than the troops
Weirdly enough I liked having the one on one aide. I was basically out of the running for friends in most of my classes anyway so having someone on my side that I could talk to and an adult that was basically guaranteed to step in when I was bullied was a positive IMO. A lot of special ed classes can get fucked though, disrespectful and treat you like an idiot who can’t even remember your own name.
I shit you not, I had to be roped into what was essentially remedial classes solely because I was autistic. It didn’t matter if I aced a test on the subject three days before. When I quizzed the remedial teacher why I’m here even if there is evidence both her time and my time are being wasted, she responded that I can teach the people who need to be there about the subject matter, and they can teach me social skills, even if they were the ones giving me shit for being “the weird kid”.
US educational system everyone! If you’re neurodivergent, you’re seen as a hopeless blithering idiot, but also the perfect candidate to do a grown adult’s job FOR THEM!
Sometimes I think like you do and that I might have dodged a bullet. I have both an ADHD and an autism diagnosis but I grew up in the 90s when autism was something completely different than it was now and ADHD was new. I was obviously struggling in grade school beyond just the coursework and my 6th grade teacher knew this, and requested they put me in special education. My parents took it to the school board and got them to put me back into standard classes. They just wanted me to be a “normal” child even tho they knew I was also struggling with the gender I was assigned. I lay awake at night and think what would have happened if I ended up in those classes instead of standard ones. Like could it have saved me from being thrown into a half way house at 17 by a judge that saw I had no human training, and was basically an animal? Who knows really. I dont think there is a real answer.
it’s a real catch 22. fail all my classes cuz i’m not getting any help or spend a period every day with a “speech therapist” (my speech is fine? why is that your title??) who doesn’t understand what i’m having trouble with and doesn’t really care because they’ve got a degree in child development. and still fail the classes.
e: i don’t really blame the “professionals” like i was an objectively Difficult Child, but every failure just kind of reinforced the idea that nothing is ever gonna get easier, no one gives a shit, and things are only getting harder.
Ima keep it real with y’all. As someone diagnosed with autism, I probably would have preferred this over being a lab rat for all sorts of mental bullshit I’m still unlearning to this day. I had to grow up with being as separated from neurotypical students as far as my IEP allowed. Hell, one of the things was a one on one aide, which was literally just a babysitter that would follow you everywhere and just remind students that you’re autistic btw, it would sure be a shame if you guys bullied him.
But hey, kids with ADHD are fine. Glad we both agree on that part, redditor.
I’ve got a lot of experience with “just discipline them”. I’m diagnosed too, and from my experience the only discipline I learned from this approach was the kind required not to kill these people as they went off on their adult tantrums because I didn’t shake so-and-sos hand. The only structure I learned was the kind that enabled me not to see my parents for 20 years. It was being punished for who I am because people who hate children decided to pursue a career working with children while telling me that my issues weren’t real and I just needed to stop being such a moron. I guess it was character-building to be borderline suicidal for the majority of my childhood though.
I watched the man who decided to “just discipline” me lose his wife, his job, and his entire life. It wasn’t even his fault but as awful as it sounds it felt pretty fucking good watching his life crumble after the way he acted. The man paddled me every day for a year and laughed about it. Made fun of me in front of adults. My “disciplinary plan” was one lick with the paddle for each late assignment over the year. So if something was late by a day in October, I was getting hit for it in May. I was 13.
More than once I’ve thought of going to where he works now in one of my nicer suits to spit on him in front of his coworkers. He wasn’t the reason for my depression, anxiety, and all of the other things that were wrong with me. But he did contribute to my poor mental health.
They say the best revenge is living well. It’s working alright for me these days. And he’s no longer in a position to do that to anyone else so I won’t go spit on him today.
Weirdly enough I liked having the one on one aide. I was basically out of the running for friends in most of my classes anyway so having someone on my side that I could talk to and an adult that was basically guaranteed to step in when I was bullied was a positive IMO. A lot of special ed classes can get fucked though, disrespectful and treat you like an idiot who can’t even remember your own name.
Seriously.
I shit you not, I had to be roped into what was essentially remedial classes solely because I was autistic. It didn’t matter if I aced a test on the subject three days before. When I quizzed the remedial teacher why I’m here even if there is evidence both her time and my time are being wasted, she responded that I can teach the people who need to be there about the subject matter, and they can teach me social skills, even if they were the ones giving me shit for being “the weird kid”.
US educational system everyone! If you’re neurodivergent, you’re seen as a hopeless blithering idiot, but also the perfect candidate to do a grown adult’s job FOR THEM!
Sometimes I think like you do and that I might have dodged a bullet. I have both an ADHD and an autism diagnosis but I grew up in the 90s when autism was something completely different than it was now and ADHD was new. I was obviously struggling in grade school beyond just the coursework and my 6th grade teacher knew this, and requested they put me in special education. My parents took it to the school board and got them to put me back into standard classes. They just wanted me to be a “normal” child even tho they knew I was also struggling with the gender I was assigned. I lay awake at night and think what would have happened if I ended up in those classes instead of standard ones. Like could it have saved me from being thrown into a half way house at 17 by a judge that saw I had no human training, and was basically an animal? Who knows really. I dont think there is a real answer.
it’s a real catch 22. fail all my classes cuz i’m not getting any help or spend a period every day with a “speech therapist” (my speech is fine? why is that your title??) who doesn’t understand what i’m having trouble with and doesn’t really care because they’ve got a degree in child development. and still fail the classes.
e: i don’t really blame the “professionals” like i was an objectively Difficult Child, but every failure just kind of reinforced the idea that nothing is ever gonna get easier, no one gives a shit, and things are only getting harder.