Jessi's Secret Language Part 2

[drmaggiemoreau]

Jessi’s Secret Language Part 2
So, after my first snark, I was so excited to read all the comments, and I’m jumping back in for part 2!

Comments

[shatisarockgod]

I hate how they always label Jenny a brat. I know it's been said so many times before but it's worth repeating. These girls are too used to the Stepford kids they usually take care of and it really is a shock to the system when they come across a normal kid that wants to do her own thing

[anabellabobella]

I can defend Jenny. At 4, she is rejecting what she doesn't understand and that scares her. This is a biological survival tactic, plus she's still making sense of the world, and here's something she hasn't encountered before. However, it's up to the adults (and teens in charge) around her to help her understand so that she's not scared and won't want to reject a kid who is different. Problem is, when people don't move to teach kids, realistically those kids go on to become bullies.

So while her behavior isn't okay, it's defensible as far as being normal. What's not defensible is Mary Anne passing on using that moment to teach Jenny so that she'd understand and wouldn't repeat the behavior in the future.

[drmaggiemoreau]

I agree, anabellabobella. It would tick me off, but I do understand she's four and scared.

However, MA needed to step up, because the only person who called Jenny out was Haley. And she's nine. It wasn't what Jenny said that pissed me off (which was rude, but not horrible), it was that two kids were being insulted, and neither one of the TWO babysitters, who both know Jenny did or said anything.

[anabellabobella]

Yup. It annoys me that neither MA nor Jessi (MA more, since she was Jenny's sitter) did a damned thing. They strike me as the type who will become the parents who say, "Well, my kid is just being a kid!" and then looks the other way while their kid beats someone up because, hey, kids will be kids.

[design_star_21]

My sister has a degree in sign language and plans to teach deaf autistic children after she gets her masters in Deaf Education....this book just makes my blood boil.

[anabellabobella]

We used some sign with out autistic daughter. Since that was easier for her than figuring out words, she stayed calmer instead of throwing epic hissy fits because she couldn't figure out words. Those fits could last hours and end up with a blood nose (mine, more than once). Sign helped her stay calm, and through being calm, she gradually learned to speak better. Now she can communicate 99% on her own most days, and her autism is no longer going to be a major hurdle in her life, and it started with sign.

I know my daughter isn't autistic, but sign still helped her tremendously. So I've kinda got a personal reason to than your sister .

[heymalice]

man, this book just keeps getting WORSE doesn't it? damn. that last chapter in particular was just...chilling. yuck yuck yuck. :(

question! was that one gif MISTER ROGERS or am i imagining things due to exhaustion? either way, that gif rocks. also, other than jenny being awful as fuck to matt&that horrendous last chapter, i was laughing through this. you kick ass at snarking.

it's kinda fucked up that some of these books got published, to be honest. did NOBODY involved read through the most awful of them&think, "this is a really gross message"? anything? wow. think this book may stay in the box of books i got recently, along with kristy&the secret of susan. NO THANKS. :/

[drmaggiemoreau]

Yup! It was Mr. Rogers. Apparently he was teaching kids what finger was which, but I guess he slipped up and flipped everyone off.

I don't know what was going through anyone's heads when they published these books, but I can hazard a guess. Admittedly, I know nothing about publishing, but I assume their business goal boils down to "make money". And BSC books sold. I can totally see a publisher getting a manuscript for this book, and thinking "Welp, these books sell like hotcakes. I'll just have someone proofread it and send it on its way!"

And as for Kristy and the Secret of Susan, I'm just like NOPE. For all the shit I give this book, I can honestly say Kristy and the Secret of Susan was worse. Especially the ending, when her parents named their new baby Hope. Like "We hope this kid isn't like our first kid!" FAIL.

[heymalice]

THAT'S AWESOME! oh mr rogers...lol.

yep, money. gotta be all about the money. it's a shame.
i'm really tempted to burn/otherwise destroy my copy of "kristy&the secret of susan", to be perfectly honest. &i'm not one for the burning or even banning of books, but this one kinda deserves some kind of destruction in my mind. it makes me so sad&so so angry even just looking at it, i think wrecking the damn thing would be almost like...therapy? i know i'm probably not the only one who feels this way.

[anabellabobella]

Repurpose the book for something, like birdcage liner. I tore up the copy I had. I couldn't stand having it in my house, and didn't like the idea of donating it somewhere where an impressionable kid would probably get it. When 1 in every 88 kids has autism to some degree, the last thing kids need to read and believe is that autistic kids are so defective that they should be sent away and ignored instead of being part of the family.

[leaby]

Really great snark so far. Looking forward to more :)

[road_baby]

You forgot ugly, lazy, and disrespectful.

I legit screamed with laughter then had to run to the bathroom so I wouldn't pee on Jynxie, because that slayed me.

[drmaggiemoreau]

Thanks! You're one of my favorite snarkers, so the feeling's mutual!

[road_baby]

Eeee! Thank you so much! (∪ ◡ ∪)

[heymalice]

that was one of my favourite parts too! that was absolutely PRICELESS!