Never Underestimate the Potential of This Kid
October 3, 2006 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
When I was a middle-schooler, I bought a button that said Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman at a school carnival and wore it everywhere. When a few relatives voiced joking, or exasperated, dispproval, I was all the more determined to wear that button.
More than twenty years later, I walk around everywhere with another button. Rather than being pinned to my kangaroo pocketed sweatshirt, I wear this one—it is invisible—permanently on my heart. Indeed, this slogan is apparent in every word I utter when it comes to Charlie’s education:
Never Underestimate the Potential of This Kid.
Charlie does not have a lot of language. He looks out of the corner of his eyes, speaks slurrily but can say his words crisp and clean, is working patiently on his sight words. He is no longer having regular, terrible tantrums that might last for an hour. He is not interested in the computer, or video games, or books. If this was all you knew about Charlie—-all you saw of Charlie—-would you think he could go on hour-plus bike rides up and down the hills in our town and, soon, by his elementary school? Do you think he would be the kid who would prefer to swim in tall, rough, thrashing waves?
Time and time again, in educational settings both private and public, it has been made known that Charlie cannot do X and therefore cannot participate in Y.
I understand.
And I need to know what X is so we can think about how to teach Charlie to do it. And maybe it will take a long time, and maybe it may not work. But we need to know the X and the Y; Charlie needs to know, too. As one of his previous teachers said, we need to keep upping the demands for Charlie. Please do not judge this child too fast.
Never underestimate the potential of this kid.
That’s my thought with kids in general, and the philosophy behind the Rettdevil website (as…ah…profanely passionate as it is).
May I make a cafepress design to put on buttons and Tshirts? Maybe that exact slogan for kids tshirts, and “Never underestimate MY kid” for parents? I’ve already got one that says “If life gives you lemons…you better not be talking about your kid that way” but yours is less abrasive.
On the site, of course, I would give you credit for the words. And Charlie credit for being the inspiration, if you wish.
I know the feeling! I’ve often had to remind teachers not to excuse my blind/Aspergers child from too much. They need to accomodate, but “dumbing down” is not acceptable. I could quote several examples — but that would be a whole post, not a comment. Kassiane, let me know when the t-shirts are available.
Kassiane, great idea! I’d love to have Charlie credited as the inspiration, as he truly is and thanks for mentioning me too……. Daisy, if you ever put everything you might have said into a comment into a post, I more than look forward to it!