This guest post is by Christine Osborne, from Lakeshore Learning Center. Christine is applying for our Supporting Small Businesses That Hire People With Disabilities Grant Opportunity ran by my nonprofit KFM Making A Difference. You can learn more about the grant opportunity here.
I hope you can support my nonprofit like I’m trying to support our community. I also produce educational videos to celebrate neurodiversity by spotlighting individuals impacted by a diagnosis. Learn more on how you can help our cause with a small donation (just asking for $3 today, equal to your daily cup of coffee) here.
This is our philosophy: “Our learning center is a corporation formed to provide an outstanding and unique educational day care for the community. The program for the children is fun as well as educational, giving each child the freedom to play and learn at his/her own pace. As the children finger paint, model in clay, cut and paste, dance and sing, compose their own stories and take trips together, they become better able to express themselves and find more joy in living and learning. At this center, your children, their self-concept, development and enjoyment are the focus of everything that is done. It is our hope that here, they will get to know better, and truly like the most important person in their lives- THEMSELVES” (Butz, 1989).
“We believe that child care should be a cooperative effort between parents and caregivers. We encourage you to visit often, to familiarize yourself with our routines, policies and procedures, to communicate with our staff, to ask questions, and offer suggestions” (Butz, 1989)”
It’s important to give people with a disability a chance to meaningful employment because everyone should be treated equally regardless of how different they are. Adults of all ages need to learn how to be independent and make money for themselves. Once they have a job, they will have money for their bills, groceries, and hanging out with friends. Some adults may get depressed without a job if they happen to be discriminated towards because of a disability. Some adults have trouble making or maintaining friends. With the chance to find a job it opens the doors to networking and making friends.
I have a success story to share of how I grew in the field of childcare. It was my dream to be a preschool teacher since I was 17. My cousin Chloe inspired me to be one after playing with her every other weekend I wanted to study child development and learn more. I struggled at many jobs. My first job in October 2018 at Warren Woods Daycare I was a floater and almost done with my associates of early childhood degree. I was a terrible worker but not because I was lazy. It was because I was inexperienced. I didn’t understand how to change a diaper, didn’t know the right words to say to the kids when interacting with them, and barely understood how to discipline the children. Because of the several problems I had, my hours kept getting cut. I was also very depressed and was barely eating. I later graduated with my associates degree in early childhood the following year in May 2019 and was halfway done with my bachelors degree in early childhood as well.
My next daycare job I worked in Royal Oak at a Christian daycare where I was a preschool assistant in November 2019 which didn’t go well either. I was terrible at disciplining the kids and didn’t get a good evaluation because my boss said I didn’t play with the kids all day and basically I just watched them and helped with cots, lunch and snacks, and cleaning. They decided to switch my position to support staff in January 2020 where I did mostly cleaning and making the snacks but I also covered lunch breaks and went into rooms when teachers had to go to the bathroom. I didn’t like covering bathroom breaks because the older kids would go crazy and act wild for me or dump toys on the floor and not clean them up. I did that position till March 2020. That year I was support staff I was diagnosed with high functioning autism. Then, suddenly everything clicked. I always thought I was weird. Then, I realized I guess I’m not weird. My behavior that I thought was strange is just different just like anyone else with autism. However, now I know why I am different.
Then, I was a floater at Lakeshore Learning Center in June 2020 which I loved every minute of it, and I finally found a boss that trusted me on the job. I did have struggles with being assertive still, but I always came to work half an hour early. I also managed how to change a diaper the right way and was able to help potty train kids, did lesson plans for toddlers the first time, and much more.
I then found a lead toddler teacher job down the street in December 2020 where I worked alone with four kids without getting very stressed out for the first time, it was my first lead position, my first time doing circle time and art regularly, and I had a lot of practice working on a daily schedule. I was also still working at Lakeshore Learning Center part time while here at Redeemer Lutheran until April 2021.
Then, I quit in summer 2021 and decided to return to Lakeshore Learning Center but full time.
Follow my journey on Facebook, my Facebook Fan Page, & Instagram!
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education.
Have Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by sending him an inquiry here. If you have a referral for someone who many want him to speak please reach out as well! Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofit organizations, parent groups and other special events on topics ranging from employment, how to succeed in college with a learning disability, internal communication, living with autism, bullying prevention, social media best practices, innovation, presentation best practices and much more!
