Elizabeth: A lesson in working with children with severe disability.

Elizabeth (she hated that name) was working with Moderately Intellectually delayed children when I first met her.

At that stage I was the school counsellor for the school at which Elizabeth was the Teacher-in-charge. I was asked to give a sex talk to the boys as a few of the bigger boys had been trying to use the safety scissors to cut off a younger boy’s penis!

Imagine the talk I could give to boys who were intellectually delayed and many couldn’t even talk – apart from wrapping STOP signs around his penis all I could muster was to show diagrams of a penis and put a graphic STOP sign on it!

Anyhow after that I became very interested in Elizabeth’s work and in absolute awe of the way she handled those children.

 I recall one visit when Elizabeth was washing down one of the teenage Downs syndrome boys after he had soiled himself.

Her washing caused Jimmy to have an erection – Elizabeth looked to Jenny her off-sider as to what she should do - as all the children and Jenny were goggle eyed watching on from behind the glass. Jenny was calling out “hit it with a pencil, hit it with a pencil” - signalling to me anyhow - that Jenny had had previous experience with this problem - in her professional or personal life.

But it was Elizabeth’s work in the Christmas concerts that had me in awe and in stitches.

The children had been practicing the scene where the boy and girl fall asleep on stage next to a chimney. T

hen Santa comes in with presents in his sack and leaves them beside the chimney while the children slept.

It was well rehearsed and the children knew what to do but what hadn’t been rehearsed was Santa opening the sack and getting out the presents - dressed in his Santa outfit. So as he held the bag with his right hand - and reached into the bag with his left, - the beard drooped into the bag.

Santa had no hands left to pull it out so of course - he used his left hand. But then there was no hand left to get the presents out, - so he let go of the beard to remove the presents but - of course, the same problem occurred, - so again he used his left hand to keep the beard out and-  again there was no hand left to take out the presents.

This routine occurred 7 or 8 times, - meanwhile the sleeping children are getting impatient and calling out “hurry up Santa” - but Santa had no answers.

Quietly and efficiently Elizabeth came on stage and held his beard so he could finish his routine.

Everything Elizabeth did with those children, and-  in fact every child she worked with, including her own three girls, - was done with the same love and belief in their goodness that was shown that day.

I just couldn’t believe that any teacher could always find a good core in every child, no matter how difficult the problem.

I was so influenced by Elizabeth Jean’s capacity for love - and her capabilities with every child she met, that I ended up marrying her!

Fifty three years later we are still married and, every day, I am in awe of that wonderful lady… and in fear of that pencil!