THE BILLY PROJECT
The Kyle Story
Story Findings
I think a bigger story is emerging here as well. Parent resistance is not always just neglect. It can also be an obsession with trying to change their kids future narrative by trying to “overcome” a disability. The parent is seeing the issue, but really isn't seeing the full issue.
These are stories about parents trying to change their kid’s narratives. By saying that parent is under-education of the "system", Jen is really getting to the bottom of a difference of stories issue. The parents are not seeing the entirety of their child's reality.
Me: What’s Kyle’s story?
Jen: I had him last year. He has down syndrome. His mom thought if she kept him in first grade, he would be back to where the other kids were. But he can barely write his name. Sometimes he would just write “mom” for his name. There’s no way he can write a five-paragraph essay. Keeping him in second grade isn’t going to help.
Me: So that’s a whole different type of resistance.
Laura: It’s the opposite. But if you don’t know the system...
Jen: And for her, I think she hasn't quite come around to the whole picture of what Ky’s life is going to be like. She has him in all kinds of therapies, which is wonderful that she is advocating for him, but at the same time Ky is Ky.