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What is your first reaction to this job possibility for special needs teen?


LNC
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My son is in a special education high school class for mod. intellectually disabilities. He also has autism. He will have job coach at a work site.

 

Job:

Sorting laundry in hotel (nice hotel chain in nice area).

 

What is your first reaction?

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I don't see anything wrong with it. I don't look down on those who work in housekeeping. It is often a thankless job with low pay.

 

Thanks. I don't see anything wrong with the types of jobs he and his classmates will do either. I just think of germs and bedbugs when sorting hotel strangers dirty sheets and towels all day. My initial reaction is to be grossed out and request another job.

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Thanks. I don't see anything wrong with the types of jobs he and his classmates will do either. I just think of germs and bedbugs when sorting hotel strangers dirty sheets and towels all day. My initial reaction is to be grossed out and request another job.

 

I'd buy him a box of latex gloves if he will tolerate wearing them.

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Sounds like a great job for a teenager. I cleaned hotel rooms while going to college. It was kick-butt work. The laundry was easier in some ways and harder in others. It was blasted hot in the laundry room but you didn't have to buzz around like a speed demon. I'm not easily skeeved out so the germs didn't bother me too much, although I certainly came across things some times that were nasty. I think the hard work is good for you though.

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I wish I could find something like that for my 21-yr-old son with autism. So far he goes once a week for two hours to a garden nursery set up and run by parents. First week he washed pots. Last week the kids had to put potting soil in the pots. Who knows what task awaits this week.

 

We have to "donate" a minimum of $150 a month to get him 10 hours work.. Each extra hour he works requires a $15 "donation". Part of the donation goes to help run the place - the rest is used to pay the kids (real checks! W-4 forms! Start qualifying for Medicare.)

 

DS HATES this job. But this parent-run place is the only place that will tolerate slow, pokey, crabby, reluctant workers like my son.

 

I am not too fond of it, either - there is no job coach except me. DS gets so mad at me for taking him there :-( and there is nothing for me to do except stand there for two hours.

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I worked in hotels for a number of years. I also taught school with sn kids and we had a job program.

 

Based on that, I think it's a good job for him. Not too hard, but he will feel like he's accomplished something at the end of the day (the pile will get smaller/gone).

 

As for bedbugs and germs, the maids would get hit with first. If sheets/towels are wet, they get rolled up in a bundle that can go into the washer in that same bundle (they are huge washers). And remember, if they are wet from anything, the maids don't want to touch that either, hence the bundle.

 

As for gloves, if he's good about washing hands, he's probably fine without. If not, and he won't wear latex gloves due to texture issues, buy him a number of pairs of cotton garden gloves (like 99 cent store type even). He'll have a pairs he can change out every day and you wash them when you do a load of towels or something.

 

If he's good with repeative and doesn't want a lot of social interaction, it would be a good job. Some of my kids would have been great at that. Some of them would have gotten bored and end up getting antsy so then getting in trouble.

 

Congratuations and good luck.

 

Of course it will depend on your son's ability and the hotel, but at our hotel, I could see our maintance man having him help with things sometimes as well. Little repairs and tool handing him tools and things.

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My mom used to manage a laundry mat that employed adults with intellectual disabilities (they had to be over 18 because they used an industrial sheet ironer). She loved working with the people but had major issues with "the board". Often times she would be paid late or not have equipment run right because of mismanaged funds. I say go for it, I used to volunteer to help my mom. I wore rubber gloves when sorting and pretreating stains.

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Thanks everyone. I think we will try it. I want to visit the site first. He may be a teen, but has the mental capacity of a five year old. Who would send their five year old somewhere without checking it out first?

 

He is limited to following 2 step directions, and he is limited in fine motor and gross motor skills. Many other job sites the schools are contracted with won't work well.

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Thanks everyone. I think we will try it. I want to visit the site first. He may be a teen, but has the mental capacity of a five year old. Who would send their five year old somewhere without checking it out first?

 

He is limited to following 2 step directions, and he is limited in fine motor and gross motor skills. Many other job sites the schools are contracted with won't work well.

 

I hope you'll update us and let us know how it works for him. :)

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