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AIBU?

to feel humilated in a school meeting?

167 replies

amy175 · 18/10/2012 11:23

My daughter many many special needs caused by a genetic disorder. We were having a care plan meeting with some community nurses and the head teacher. She has weight issues which they are due to the disorder. During this meeting i was asked what was in her lunch box, and i told them all, but the head went and got her packed lunch and opened it and showed everyone. I just felt humilated, as i had told them truthfully what was in it, so why did they need to look? Everything in there was as suggested by the dietician and they did eventally admit it was a good lunch, no crisps, choc or sweet things. But why did they need to get it out? The head was going on about how much more food my dd has than everyone else and how she sometimes has pasta instead of a sandwich, but she doesn't it just takes her longer to eat it. And what my DD has for lunch is nothing to do with anyone else but me surely? I just felt so small and humilated. Am i wrong to feel like this? or am i being too sensitive?

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:12

though to be fair he does bring a lot of work home with him

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:13

My ex had the same attitude, though he wanted me to get a cleaner to do his share, which made people think it was me that was lazy. He also 'helped' me when there was an audience and 'looked' like Dad of the year, when it was just us, he was so very lazy, and if he did anything I would praise him like mad, if I didn't praise him he would get moody.

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:13

i bet im not the only wife who does most of the kiuds/house stuff!!

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:14

i blame his mum, did everything for him, still would.

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:14

He puts his relationship with HT and his community standing above his family, makes you wonder why the HT has the attitude he has about you.

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:16

My ex was a workaholic as well, emotionally distant. After the split was when I got to know the full extent of who he was. He had form to be fair of ruining his colleagues careers and doing well out of it himself.

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:17

i did say that to him last night, got very tearful and cross with him.

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:18

You reminded me of me from the first pages of posts, thats why I asked what I did and advised you see the Prof too.

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:18

he is worried about his wrok, they are restructuring so he feels he cant been seen not to get everything they ask done

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:21

im not sure mine is bad enough to see the prof, my back is giving me problems though

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:21

The work also gives reason to keep his distance and run you into the ground, if he is like my ex, he knows what he us doing. Don't tell him about the thread for now. Why no money to see Dr btw?

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:23

Go, it is genetic, it will help him diagnose your dd, your posts gave the clue dd got it from you, has your ds got it too? boys get better as they age, girls worse due to hormones.

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:23

i work for myself and i had to take time off with my accident and lost thousands in wages :( and things were tough anyway. trying to claim dla for kids now but still at filling form stage

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zipzap · 18/10/2012 14:24

The whole attitude of the meeting would worry me - to some extent the lunch box is the least of it - in so far as he challenged you about the lunch box contents, you told him, he disbelieved you, instead of saying this just got the lunch box out hoping to humiliate you and prove you wrong but instead was proved wrong himself as the lunch box contained exactly what you said it did and was done according to the dietician's advice.

however, exactly the same is happening when you told them about your dd's symptoms. THey didn't believe you, told you what they thought, but this time - they stopped at the point that they had told you what they thought and that they think is the right thing to do - and this is still what they think is right. There was no lunch box to bring in to prove them wrong. Whilst they could have talked to your dd about her symptoms, it doesn't sound like they are listening, they are intent on following their beliefs regardless.

In your letter I would also include something about your dd's symptoms, that these are recognised symptoms of her condition and that you want to continue to treat them as the specialists have said, not to follow their 'advice' as you believe that this will harm your dd and set her back in all sorts of ways (ie for the incontinence things - not just because she can't feel the need to pee, and that stopping wearing pads will not make any difference to this, but that given that she will then have accidents, it's going to put her at risk of being teased and bullied by other pupils. It's also embarrassing even if she does have nice understanding friends. And it's not very nice in the class if she does have an accident, somebody needs to clear it up, it's not her fault but doesn't make it any nicer.)

I would try to make sure that you get the last word in about your dd. So state what your dd's symtoms are, simply and factually. Say what the specialists have advised doing about this (and/or specialist resources such as the EDS conference or support group etc, think there are several people on here that have it and could offer advice too). Then set out what school is suggesting. Then set out why you are ignoring not taking their 'advice' but will be following the specialist advice. If possible do this for each symptom. If your doctor/any others involved in your dd's care are friendly and you think would back you up and disagree on the suggestions made by the school, I would cc them in too.

Could you also put something in the letter to say that you were disappointed that despite the fact that your dd has been at the school for xx years, they still do not appear to have educated themselves about the condition she suffers from, but instead have just made assumptions based on normal non-EDS children and made up their advice based on this rather than actually knowing what they were talking about (obviously this is maybe slightly too harsh a wording!), so there is something in writing in which you are showing that they don't know anything about your dd's condition and yet are happy to offer advice that can be detrimental to her rather than actually finding anything out.

I have a friend with EDS and her dc also have it - I know the struggles she has had and that's at schools that have tried to be understanding and accomodating of the dc and their problems. Must be complete hell when they don't bother to find out anything about it and strut around thinking they know best, when actually they don't. Good luck!

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:24

ive got 3 girls. yes i have the genetic deletion too so i gave it to her:(

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pigletmania · 18/10/2012 14:26

How nasty. I would write her a letter of complaint she has to be brought back down to earth

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:27

thats great advice problem is the school is following medical advice from these stupid nurses, ot and physio and pead who all seem to not believe us. thats why i want to see a specialist

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:27

Your self worth is low, I can so relate to you. Why no DLA claim for you? Your health and kids is so important, why is it low in priority here, when you can't work? Seriously, you have been put down too much for too long, what kind of H, doesn't think this a priority, never mind the fact you are not earning.

I bet he wanted sex when you were ill with your back too?

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:31

And someone gave it to you, it is horrible to deal with the guilt, I gave it to my dc, I also gave them thungs like straight teeth and lovely EDS youthfull skin.

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:33

Prof G will examin every detail of your child and do necessary genetic tests, then you will have what you need for school etc.

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:40

i went back to work six weeks after i broke my back so im working but not sure how much longer i can do it. i claimed dla for dd when she was 2 but it ran out at 4 and i never did the huge form again. started work when she went to school instead

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:42

he made me go back to work

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:42

told him im stopping soon as i can give notice to my clients and get them someone else

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MrsjREwing · 18/10/2012 14:43

What struck me with Prof G is how he handled me both physically and to speak to, he was the only one who was not rough when checking how far I bent, when I was on a bed being examined how he handled bringing me back upright, every other health professional is rough in comparison. I hope he is like that the rest of his life, if so he has a place in heaven.

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amy175 · 18/10/2012 14:44

i'm always in so much pain esp my back, lifting a non mobile 6 stone child doesn't help either!!!

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