As one who through his local Elk's Lodge have worked with the special olympics and special education children. I can echo what has been said.
I have found it to be fun and satisfying experience. So do go for it and best of luck with the new job.
Take the job or not?
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Not Sir Phobos
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I'm gonna go against the yes trend but based on concerns I have. I too had a friend that worked with special needs children and it made his life hell. I gather from your story that you don't know what you are getting into and that you obviously have no special training for this field anyhow.
The laws and rules that surround every action you do at a job like that can be mind boggling! You have to know what you and the others are doing at ALL times because should something happen you are responsible and lawsuits can find you if you mess up. My friend worked at a place that deflected lawsuits to itself to shield employees because somebody is always willing to sue.
Also mentaly deficient children will say ANYTHING just because they think its fun/mean and reactions happen. My friend was accused of sexual harassment by one of the children because he wouldn't give him an extra icecream all the time. Of course it was innocent but it went on his work reccord because "everything must be reported". It takes a pretty thick skin just to let things like that slide.
Another fun task was that as a caretaker you cannot touch the children or restrain them if they decide to run away. My friend would spend literally half a day just walking behind a kid who thought he could escape. All he was allowed to do was follow the child untill the child decided to return.
Heck one kid even started throwing rocks at him! Again, all he could do was hide behind a tree and ask over and over again to stop throwing rocks untill the child tired or got bored and moved on.
I'm not discounting anybode else's stories of good times, sweet people, and happy memories but if you are not trained and don't know what you are getting into you may be in for a nice shovel full of dissapointment and I thought I should let you know.
The laws and rules that surround every action you do at a job like that can be mind boggling! You have to know what you and the others are doing at ALL times because should something happen you are responsible and lawsuits can find you if you mess up. My friend worked at a place that deflected lawsuits to itself to shield employees because somebody is always willing to sue.
Also mentaly deficient children will say ANYTHING just because they think its fun/mean and reactions happen. My friend was accused of sexual harassment by one of the children because he wouldn't give him an extra icecream all the time. Of course it was innocent but it went on his work reccord because "everything must be reported". It takes a pretty thick skin just to let things like that slide.
Another fun task was that as a caretaker you cannot touch the children or restrain them if they decide to run away. My friend would spend literally half a day just walking behind a kid who thought he could escape. All he was allowed to do was follow the child untill the child decided to return.
Heck one kid even started throwing rocks at him! Again, all he could do was hide behind a tree and ask over and over again to stop throwing rocks untill the child tired or got bored and moved on.
I'm not discounting anybode else's stories of good times, sweet people, and happy memories but if you are not trained and don't know what you are getting into you may be in for a nice shovel full of dissapointment and I thought I should let you know.
God's in his heaven, All's right with the world
