#kids had meltdowns sometimes bc the workers were so useless and didnt take the time to learn to read the child and they'd push too much

[piplupod]

thinking abt the previous post, the agency i worked at for a couple years would use bits of ABA and I just... I always nodded along to the boss instructing me on how to work with the kids with those tactics (I worked with the kids who were 6 and under) and then as soon as she left I tossed all that shit out of my brain and just treated the kid like a human being and worked with them where they were at.

and guess what !!! i had the most and fastest success out of every other worker in the entire building!! i was often told it seemed like i was working miracles with my kids bc they'd just progress so fast (comparatively) through the skill book we had to work on, and that the kids always seemed so happy and eager to come to the building after they started working with me!!

this is partially why I quit because I couldn't stand seeing my coworkers treat the kids like they were dogs (talking down to them, being patronizing, and utilizing shitty ABA tactics) and as much good as I was doing there, it was fucking me up bc they were extremely demanding that I work more than I was comfortable (or able) to, and often put me with "problem" kids who I didn't get to regularly see so we couldn't make much progress bc the kids weren't able to get to know me and (rightfully!) didn't trust me because they thought I'd be treating them the way everyone else did.

i just...... my coworkers would ask me how I had so much success and I would just shrug and say like, "just treat them like they're human and work with them where they're at" and I couldn't explain any more bc that'd require me admitting I wasn't following the boss' guidance for a lot of shit fjfkdl

#i had kids who didn't like talking suddenly become chatterboxes bc they actually felt safe and listened to for once !!! #(and ofc some kids just didnt like talking and that was okay bc they would talk when needed but just preferred to be quiet) #also yall i had no formal training for this 😭 i was thrown into the fray one day djfkdl i was supposed to just work as an admin assistant #it was just fucking bonkers there #kids had meltdowns sometimes bc the workers were so useless and didnt take the time to learn to read the child and they'd push too much #and they did things in ways that were sooo rigid so often like... if a kid is looking tired u gotta shift ur schedule around !! #but they'd just be like noooope this is our plan and we have to stick to it #my guy!! the child looks exhausted!!! they are fucking four years old !!! what the hell are u doing!!! #no four yr old is going to ever feel okay if u keep pushing them to do stuff they dont rly want to do when theyre tuckered out!! #anyways i could rant for hours abt that place lmfao #i still think abt the kids so often esp some of the ones with rough home lives #and i just rly rly hope theyre doing okay #but i cannot go back and help again bc that place destroyed me gjfkdl i hit autistic burnout HARD while there #and thats what ultimately forced me to quit #otherwise i probably would've stayed bc i rly wanted to give these kids someone safe to be around esp if their homes werent a v safe place #idk its so hard bc one person can't change the entire way things are (esp since i had no formal training) #but also if im not there then i know nobody else there is going to be knocking ABA to the side and treating the kids like whole ass humans! #eugh i hate thinking abt it bc I just... what the fuck do u do with a situation like that lmfao #i miss those kids sm though fjfkdl theyre all so cool and fun and rly good kids #i hope good things happen to them :') #pippen needs 2nd breakfast #ableism tw #aba tw