Monday, January 4, 2010

impatience, irreverence, and indestructibility?

I've been hoping, grinding, grumping, and whining for conductive education out here in the dampness since 2000. I've gone through many phases: nominal success, outright enthusiasm, serious hopefulness, abject despair, "back burnering", and tonnes of looking into the heavens as professionals roll their eyes and smile as they look through me. The only thing that has kept me going is meeting a handful of parents who, like me, have been encouraged by the few things they learn and continue to do only because of conductive education.
I'm at the place today where, despite myself and a thousands reasons to give it up, conductive education is still the only thing I can say is eminently useful for my son and me. It kind of pisses me off, that this one thing, this ONE THING is the only thing that seems impossible to get started out here. Maybe it's because I'm just a dorky Dad who has no time, and no expertise to do it myself. Maybe it's because the system is all locked up and resistant. Lord, some days I feel just rotten about it all. I ask myself, "Why bother?" Then I go to my boy, my gorgeous Bambo boy; and he grins and I ask him to stand up. I help him lean forward, and he's on his feet with that look on his face like he's going somewhere whether I'm ready or not. I see him happy to be stepping, looking over his shoulder as he stands at his wall ladder making sure that I'm looking; making sure that I see what we've gotten him into. . .and I know there's some sort of current under it all that seems to move this barge along.
It's not my boat. I just tried to bring one here. Heck, I've even had a school-board tell me they want to get it going in their system. So, I stumble and flop and wait by the muddy shore; trying to shove the barge into the water.
My little blog here is somewhat of a dream. There is no conductive education in B.C. beyond the private hours in the homes of families who can pay for the precious time. I'm quietly terrified that some well-organized body will come along and begin selling it like some magical answer at a great price, at ridiculous hours, in a proprietary platform made of bullshards.
I'm just a Dad at the bottom of it all. I have been privileged to have the support of the Purpose Society to arrange 11 CE sessions in the last 10 years. Granted, that's not much, but for a program that has no budget, a volunteer director, and no source of funding; it's not shabby. But who in the heck is satisfied with that? Ask the parents I know who are really pumped and impressed with what they have learned with their kids. It's only a taste. We need the steak. It's time for the potatoes, and I'll be damned if someone is going to turn it into some fancy gourmet dish. Just had to say that, I did.

4 comments:

Lori-ann said...

I wish we could live CE!

James Forliti - Blue's Dad. said...

Yes, it does become a part of one's daily life. Doing it "on our own" is simply ridiculous. Nothing done this way ever picks up serious momentum. It's like any other pursuit, or sport, or educational endeavour. We enrich each other's experience as we grow and learn. I think we live it as much as we can, despite the situation.

Anonymous said...

Well said, James. I was just off to bed when I read your posting. Now I'll maybe have to wait a few minutes and perhaps get a drink - and just think a bit.

There's serious snow across Sheffield today. First time in what, 14 years, I've not been able to get into Paces. Sarah went off Monday night for a single overnight short break. Got snowed in. Staying a second night. We hear she's Ok about it. First time she's been away from us since before Xmas. We had a great time together and with other family. She relaxed - and laughed so much. She can be such good company. This year we will be trying to find her own supported living accommodation. I'm not sure her Mum or I are ready for that. I think I'll find a way to get through the snow tomorrow to bring her home.

What's this to do with your posting? I don't know. Not a lot, I suppose. I just wanted to share a bit of me in return for your sharing so much of you.

Hey! I'm just a Dad too. Take care of yourself. Good night.

Susie Mallett said...

Hello James,

It sounds like there is a lot more conductive upbringing going on in your part of the world , in your family anyway, than in some places where so-called Conductive Education has been “established” for years!

Oh, to always work with people like you and Norman! Luckily I do meet a few like you both in my travels. It is why I love my work so much.

I read your blog late last night too, and then I read Andrew Sutton‘s comparing your posting with mine.

I was very late last night and much too tired to write to you then. I had been meeting an old client of mine, a twenty-nine-years-old young lady with diplegia who is studying for a doctorate in Iceland. She is still struggling in her fight to fit into the world and on this short visit home was determined to meet her old conductor and friend for a few tips on how to reduce the pain in her joints, and a of course get a hug. We managed an hour together at the cold and wintery railway station as she passed on her journey through Nürnberg!

Probably the only Conductive Education that you will find in Iceland is in her everyday life. In her life there is also more than in some places where it has been established “professionally” for years.

As with Norman, who has commented here and also mentioned you on his blog, I not sure why I am writing but I just felt like saying “Hello, and keep on living a conductive life”.

Susie

PS

As I read the first sentence of Andrew’s blog I had to smile, as I had sent an email to a friend earlier in the day in which I wrote:
“ Yes, as you say, once a conductor always a conductor, and I think I mean exactly that. I mean that I was always a conductor long before I knew it!
I grew up a conductor!
My mum taught me how!
She was one too in her own way.”

It seems that yesterday several of us were thinking along exactly the same lines.