Personality Clash

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I'm glad I found this forum, I think this is as good a place as any to get this figured out.

A few years ago, my summer job was as an integration counselor with my town's summer camps division. What that meant was that I'd be assigned a special needs camper and help 'integrate' them into the day with other campers. Like a support worker I guess. Both kids I had were autistic. The first boy was awesome, I had him for a few weeks and we had a great time together, so I know the problem isn't with me... I hope.

However, the second boy I had didn't get along with me at all. From the start he was extremely non-compliant with everything. I was pre-warned that he wouldn't want to participate in any activities, but I was to keep encouraging him to 'go just for a bit'. He had a HUGE special interest in Star Wars, every day he would bring his action figures and printed information sheets. He was also more on the sever side of the spectrum than Boy A. There came a day where this boy would scream whenever I went near him. Long story short, I lost my job a few days later for an 'incident' -_-.

In addition to all this, this was a few months before I finally got my ADHD diagnosis (so I didn't know how to deal with my own brain, though I knew somehow something was up), and I am sure that it had a huge role to play. More details available if necessary.

To sum this up, I want to know if there was something different I should have been doing, like a different strategy. I know it's not a lot of information, but I am willing to divulge more since I wasn't sure what to include. It's just that this has been plaguing me. Thanks for the help!

It probably would have been wise to go to your supervisor at the first sign of real difficulty.

It can be very difficult to deal with a very resistant, obstructive person. And they can get you in a lot of trouble if you don't seek support and advice from your superiors quickly.

Also... if you are AS/HFA, your focus on accomplishing the task--integration--may have exacerbated the situation. If you'd checked in, your boss may have told you to just let the kid do his special interest all day.

You really shouldn't have been expected to know how to handle someone like that... I'm not sure their approach to push the kid to go "just for a bit" was appropriate. Seems maybe they didn't really grasp the AS/HFA situation.

Pity you became the 'fall guy'.

Oooh, this may have been the worst part. I told my supervisor, multiple times, that "I am having a difficult time with him, what can I do to at least get him to acknowledge my presence?" and you know what she said? "You're not trying hard enough." Honestly, I have nightmares about this.

I am sorry you are getting the same old same old from your supervisor. The cry 'you aren't TRYING hard enough' is BS, clear and simple. They just dumped it on you and then made you feel bad when you couldn't do what anyone else could do, either.

I get this 'you're not TRYING hard enough' when I am working desparately to just keep up with others, let alone try to excell. Don't let others live rent free in your head. You probably respected and looked up to your supervisor and it was pretty raw she didn't return the favor. Just remember what a good job you did with the other kid and smile through the rest.

I am glad you are here, too, sylvr! Oh, I just got your user name!

That should at least become a bumper sticker.

Well, so much for that idea... you got the shaft, pure and simple. I hate it when that happens. Being the low dog on the totem pole means you're the one that gets pissed on by everyone else.



Ya, but where do I send the bill?