Our Families

 

Youth and family members at the 2009 Families Together in New York State Annual Conference participated in Share Your Story, a Families Together initiative to share the family voice. Here's what they had to say:

 

 

 

We asked parents to tell us what they think would make the world better for their children with emotional, social, and behavioral challenges. They wish:

 

• Everyone would stop blaming children and families and start helping them.
• Schools and communities would have acceptance for children with severe emotional challenges.
• The education system would treat children as individuals, not labels.
• Teachers would accept and welcome children who were "included" in general education classes.
• More services could be offered in the home and community.
• Recreational programs would include children with disabilities.
• Mandatory public parent forums for all elected officials.
• More positive images of mental heath challenges were visible in the media to help reduce stigma.

We also asked children and youth what would make their lives better.  This is what they said:

• I just want to be like everybody else. I don't want to stick out. I want to be normal.
• I want to go to the same school year after year, and be in the same class with my friends.
• I wish I could make the basketball team.
• I wish kids wouldn't call me names.
• I want people to see me for me. I wish being different wasn't seen as a bad thing.
• I wish every kid who needed one could have a computer-it makes doing school work easier.
• I just wanted to be accepted as part of the group. I wish it was easier to make friends.
  

Families Together encourages families to share their experiences, strength and hope to help others know they are not alone, or isolated in their own struggles. Please forward your story to cbrandow@ftnys.org. 

 

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