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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask if its fair that inclusivity has excluded my DC from their hobby?

341 replies

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 13:43

TLDR: ND child is causing my DC to quit much loved hobby as ND child's behaviour is ruining it for them.

Full Story: DC (13) attended a hobby/club and has done for years. 2 years ago a new child joined. The child is ND and their particular behaviours include shouting out, not listening, inappropriate use of kit and refusal to fully participate in activities. DC has complained on and off since this child joined that it is spoiling it. I have encouraged DC to be understanding and supportive, I have spoken with the staff at the club to ask if more support for this child can be put in place. Nothing has changed.

Part of the club involves some unsupervised time and this is DC's favourite part of the club. The last two unsupervised sessions have been completely ruined by this child's behaviour, the group have had to call staff for help to sort it out and therefore their final result for the session has been effected. 2 months ago after the last ones of these sessions I spoke with staff and asked why this child doesn't have a 1 to 1 support/parent staying with them as this is hugely effecting everyone else's enjoyment and I was told that my DC is exaggerating and 'fixating' on this child.

DC came home last night as said he's quitting. This child has wrecked the night's activity again. I spoke to the staff and was told that they 'are an inclusive club and they pride themselves in being open to all' and hinted that DC leaving may well be for the best if he's not happy.

I have 2 ND DC, I get the difficulties, I get that they should have access to clubs and activities, I get that allowances need to be made for their behaviour. I am in no way suggesting the child should be kicked out but surely if you have children leaving because of another child then the support in place for that child isn't right?

AIBU to think that more should be done to support this child correctly so DC can continue to enjoy their hobby and that my DC having to leave is not an acceptable situation?

OP posts:
PurpleHiker · 26/06/2024 14:49

Easipeelerie · 26/06/2024 14:44

Are you sure your son is not also neurodiverse? The reason I ask is that generally speaking, disruptive behaviour is water off a duck’s back to a neurotypical person.
Your son is upset to quite a degree. I presume he doesn’t like the unfairness e.g. losing in tasks because of this boy; he doesn’t like the disruption.

My son is neurotypical and this would upset him. This is two years of the drip drip effect of his challenging behaviour so I think most people would have had enough by now.

summersofdoom · 26/06/2024 14:49

Weetabbix · 26/06/2024 14:45

Can you volunteer to go along to the club to support? Be an extra pair of hands?

why should the OP have to do that?

They're not complaining on how the club normally runs, they are rightly pointing out that the club allowing bad behaviour is ruining it for everyone.

The solution is simple, either ask the carer of the child to stay and support - because the child is obviously not having a great time, or point out that they don't have the support needed and ask them to find another club.

No one is wining here, it's not fair on anyone what's the point.

ReadytoRetire1122 · 26/06/2024 14:49

WaitingForMojo · 26/06/2024 14:00

Your dc doesn’t ‘have’ to leave though. They’re choosing to.

What is it about the ND child’s behaviour that’s affecting your dc? Verbal stims, differences in approach, impulse control issues, and attention differences shouldn’t impact your dc? Unless the child is doing something TO your dc? But it sounds from what you say as though your dc is just having difficulty tolerating difference, which is something you and they need to work on, and doesn’t mean that a ND DC should have a 1:1.

It also sounds as though the club are saying your dc is exaggerating.

If the DC wasn’t able to participate safely, that’s one thing, but it sounds as though all they are doing is displaying ND behaviours?

I agree, sounds like the perfect opportunity for op's daughter to learn how to tolerate different people and not expect everything to go how they want.

Theunamedcat · 26/06/2024 14:49

It's been two YEARS that child is more patient than me I woukd have been gone in a fucking month

Garlicker · 26/06/2024 14:48

This reply has been deleted

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DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:47

surely nobody likes disruptions? I'd be hacked off if i went to 'knit and natter' every week and Nora ND spent every week dancing around the room singing. It would spoil the enjoyment of the session for me. Likewise trying to solve a puzzle while this child is running off with the clues is justifiably frustrating.

DC is not ND, there have never been any behaviours in them that make me thing so.

OP posts:
Weetabbix · 26/06/2024 14:46

Easipeelerie · 26/06/2024 14:44

Are you sure your son is not also neurodiverse? The reason I ask is that generally speaking, disruptive behaviour is water off a duck’s back to a neurotypical person.
Your son is upset to quite a degree. I presume he doesn’t like the unfairness e.g. losing in tasks because of this boy; he doesn’t like the disruption.

Most people would be a bit annoyed/ upset if doing something the love and it was disrupted by someone behaving badly. It doesn't mean he is neurodiverse.

Weetabbix · 26/06/2024 14:45

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:43

it;s so annoying because DC loves this hobby and doens't want to give it up. plus i feel it could be at the very least improved if not fixed by the child having a 1-2-1 or parent staying.

Can you volunteer to go along to the club to support? Be an extra pair of hands?

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:44

i also feel bad for the child who i feel is being done a disservice as they are not being correctly supported to engage with the sessions.

OP posts:
Easipeelerie · 26/06/2024 14:44

Are you sure your son is not also neurodiverse? The reason I ask is that generally speaking, disruptive behaviour is water off a duck’s back to a neurotypical person.
Your son is upset to quite a degree. I presume he doesn’t like the unfairness e.g. losing in tasks because of this boy; he doesn’t like the disruption.

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:43

it;s so annoying because DC loves this hobby and doens't want to give it up. plus i feel it could be at the very least improved if not fixed by the child having a 1-2-1 or parent staying.

OP posts:
Smoog · 26/06/2024 14:43

I agree with you that this isn’t right but unfortunately that’s sometimes the way it goes with clubs, particularly those run by volunteers. You take it or leave it, even if they’re being highly unreasonable.

greenpolarbear · 26/06/2024 14:42

If the others in DC's group feel the same then can they just set up the hobby independently from the club and do it themselves in their own time?

The club may see things a bit differently if it's a whole bunch of people leaving.

Other than that I think the alternative is to explain you're leaving and you'd be grateful if they let you know if the situation changes in future as you'd happily return.

meganorks · 26/06/2024 14:41

If your child isn't enjoying it any more then quitting does seem like the best idea. Could they try joining something else or another club instead.
I think you are correct that this child needs more 1-2-1 support. Maybe there are some activities they just aren't going to join in so maybe they should do something else. But if they haven't done anything in two years, I doubt they will now. Ie - if they haven't asked a parent to stay and support they won't now!

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:40

DC tells me the rest of the group are also frustrated but I only have his word for that. No idea if other parents agree with me as I dont do 'gossiping at the gates'.

OP posts:
SummerSnowstorm · 26/06/2024 14:40

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:33

DC has been trying to solve the problem for 2 years! it's not improving. I help run a local youth group - this child would have either one of us as a 1to1 or a parent asked to stay if they were in our group.

Surely it comes a point where you have made all the accommodations you can and your have to accept that it isn't working? but why should it be my DC who has to leave a hobby he loves because the right support isn't in place? that feels wrong.

He doesn't have to leave. Its a good opportunity for him to learn not to let things bother him if they're out of his control. He's bound to come across similar with adults who don't pull their weight or are frustrating to deal with in work environments in the future.

Londonrach1 · 26/06/2024 14:39

Sadly this happened in one of dd clubs...the club has now folded. The staff member (volunteer) asked if the child mum could attend too and was told no as they should include her dd and not exclude her. Her dd was a flight risk and the three volunteers struggled then one said couldn't do it anymore and by then they couldn't do the activity and sadly the group closed. If the child mum had gone as a 1:1 this group still be going on. I understand op. I feel sorry for the staff members especially if they volunteers

Weetabbix · 26/06/2024 14:38

FrippEnos · 26/06/2024 14:32

Weetabbix

Either way, it's a good lesson to learn that when things aren't happening the way you want them to, you don't just throw up your arms and leave. Help your child to problem solve.

It isn't the child's problem to solve,

What could your child's team do in the situation where this child is running off with kit/ throwing stuff around? Can one of them run and tell the activity leader? Do they know why the child is behaving this way? Is something triggering it? Is there anything your child/ the other children could do to help this child feel more involved and engaged?

The OP has said that the groups has already had to go to the organisers and they have done nothing.

I disagree that it isn't (partly) the child's problem to solve.

Obviously, all people with disabilities should be supported and it sounds like this child needs a support worker with them - that would be the ideal scenario. But that hasn't happened, and it's a shame if either kid has to give up his hobby because of it, so what else can be done?

This is a 13 year old, not a very young child - they are going to come across situations and people like this throughout their life. We all encounter these types of scenarios, where something we want to do cannot quite run to plan/ we can't do what we'd like to do because of someone else. It's frustrating. But the way to handle it is to think what can be done to help everyone have fun, rather than just leave.

It's an opportunity for 13 year old to learn how to confront the world and other people in a mature, resilient and understanding way, rather than just saying "X is SPOILING it for me".

Obviously I'm not saying it's his responsibility to sort the whole thing out, but it's a good opportunity for him to learn something about society and empathy.

Thepurplecar · 26/06/2024 14:37

It sounds as if your child is the only one complaining. If staff don't have a problem with supporting this child and other children aren't affected, then your DC is the one with the problem. Could you provide more support for your child? It doesn't matter if they're ND or not, they're not coping in this situation. If you speaking to them hasn't improved things could you attend and give your child one to one support so they remain focused on what they enjoy rather than this other child?

DImplesandCheese · 26/06/2024 14:37

DC's friends are all at this club, there isn't another one of this type within easy reach.

It's not that he wants to be competitive, he wants to relax and enjoy the activities without having to constantly battle against this level of disruption.

OP posts:
PurpleHiker · 26/06/2024 14:36

It sounds like this could be Scouts. Could your son join another nearby Scout group instead?

SummerSnowstorm · 26/06/2024 14:35

Just tell him to get on with the activity as if the other kid isn't there. He clearly doesn't want to join in with that part, and the other kids trying to push him to probably isn't helping and is pointless. Get them to focus on their activity and unless the kid asks to join in then leave him to walk away and the adults to watch him

summersofdoom · 26/06/2024 14:34

TheGlassCastle · 26/06/2024 14:00

As your child is planning on quitting anyway would there be any mileage in saying to the club that, actually, you agree that your child is ‘fixating’ on the other child and given this combined with the fact that they have several neurodiverse siblings you now suspect they may have previously unknown neurodiversity themself? So therefore, given how inclusive you know the club to be, you would like to know what the club’s plan will be to support your child in their need for quiet to listen to the instructions and an uninterrupted group experience.

exactly this.

Being ND is not an excuse for being a disturbance. It's not fair on anyone, and it's not fair on the ND child who is missing the right support anyway.
I wonder if the parents are even aware, that the child is not participating, is clearly not enjoying himself and is ruining it for everyone else. The OP's child is not the only one who is suffering.

it's a hobby, it should not be that hard. Kids have to be supportive at school all day, they are all allowed to have a break.

BrigadierEtienneGerard · 26/06/2024 14:34

Let him quit. Not because of the ND child, but because the leaders are useless.

Octavia64 · 26/06/2024 14:33

With hobbies, you will generally find that there are some clubs that are about enjoyment and some clubs that are about performance.

So for example, I am in a community choir. It's funded by money for developing the community and welcomes everyone whether they can sing or not. There are a lot of ND people there and a lot of physically disabled people including me. We all accept that people need reminding and take time to learn things because fundamentally it's not about the singing it's about the community.

There are other choirs where you have to audition to join and the standard is very high and if you miss rehearsals you are out.

And there's lots in between.

Sounds like your current club is more like my community choir - it's about taking part. Sounds like your DC wants one that is more about the competition.

So he should probably change club, not because of the other boy but because he wants a different ethos.

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