Hi IM's, what should I do, if anything? This I just need to rant
I was at a friends house today and she was looking after ther 11 and 13 year old brothers. I set up a fun quizz to keep them entertained and was more than shocked by their lack of basic knowledge
Neither of them knew their birthdays (day, month, year), neither knew the complete alphabet or how many seconds in minute, days in a week, months in the year Etc. I asked my friend about it and her response was 'well they both have adhd'.
Should I say something to their mum, the school? Or just stay out of it.
Thank you
Lacking basic knowledge
Lacking basic knowledge
Posted in:
Education
6 Replies
stay out of it, if they have a negotiated eduction plan none of those things maybe on the list of priorities at this point. Its between the school and the parents and it is quite possible your friend wouldn't know the details. Its also quite possible as 11 and 13 year olds they had a great big laugh at the twit who gave them a test for FUN and they pretended not to know some answers.
Honestly my kid has regular NEPs and never ever is it my priority for him to know that stuff, if he learns it, it is a bonus. My priorities are around behaviour, practical skills like how to make himself dinner etc So yeah it may sound like a cop out but unless you live with those particular kids you have no idea. Quite frankly I'd have been pretty horrified if some stranger for no reason gave my kid a test!
I appreciate your point of view but I'm not a stranger mine and my friends parents grew up together so we are all close. My friend lives at home and looks after the brothers more than the mother (she knew they started school tomorrow, mother did not) I also asked the kids if they wanted to play an educational game and after me explaining what educational meant they said yes.
Also in regards to practical skills, the 11 year old asked for help wiping his bum after a poo!
It sounds like there is a lot more than ADHD and sounds like they have intellectual disabilities. Still between the school and the parents and if the mum is checked out it's unlikely to change anything anyway! It's quite possible they have been diagnosed with ID not every one chooses to disclose that to everyone they know. I know of entire families including siblings, grand parents etc, that don't know of a child's diagnosis or adult for that matter!
Definitely sounds like they have issues and yes every child that age should know their birthday! I don't think u should talk to the school as that May anger the parents but u could offer to help them or find out where they can access services to teach them these things. So sad for those kids
My son is 6, he has ASD (autism) or should I say is Autistic he knows the complete alphabet most of his sounds, can read at a basic level and can count to a thousand and knows basic maths he was completely non verbal 2 years ago but was diagnosed 3 years ago. On saying all this it depends on the child and what they have been diagnosed with also the severity of their diagnosis. Weather they have received therapies and assistance. And that itself depends on the parents and how much effort they put into getting their children the help they need. You can always mention it to their mum but I can't promise that you will get the reaction you are hoping for. Some parents brush it under the carpet and can't be stuffed helping their children become the best they can be.
And wether they have an ID as well as autism :) also have autism + epilepsy. Even those kids that get 30 plus hours of therapy a week don't always get to where your boy is today. Hopefully one day we will have the knowledge to understand why :)