The Battle of Wills And Egos
When the adults can't get over themselves and focus on the needs of kids
I sit in a lot of meetings with many families, professionals, and the like.
I cannot tell you how often people's egos are at the heart of the issue.
Folks, I get it. When someone is critiquing or calling into question your hard work, it's not easy to be introspective. It's not easy to receive constructive feedback.
But guess what?
It's not about you.
When we're sitting around a table as a group of professionals and concerned adults, talking about the needs of vulnerable, neurodivergent, and disabled children -- it's not about our feelings. It's about the children's needs.
If you work in schools, youth care, or support neurodivergent and disabled children in any capacity, please remember this.
It's easy to get swept away by emotions, which shows how much we care about the work we do, and that is a wonderful thing. But at the end of the day, no matter how hard we work, we can always do at least a little bit better.
It's not about us, it's not about our feelings, it's not about our egos.
It's about collaboration, self-reflection, and professional (and personal) growth.
It's about putting our own egos aside to focus on what's most important: the needs of the children we care about.
When we fail to do this, it's the children who bear the burden. They're the ones who suffer when the adults can't get over themselves long enough to do what's best for the kids.
© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB