My brush with the JW's

wonderwoman77

This last week, I did a short internship in a school system. We had to do one home visit because the little girl we were going to see has been ill and has not been able to attend her early child program. She is 3 and has a disease where half of her brain did not form and she does not have a pitutary gland. We arrived at this huge run down looking house. The occupational therapist I was observing said that this was a really weird situation because 14 kids live in this house. All off them are adopted and all the severe children have there own nurse. There are 4 nurses there during the day. There are 3 kids that have completed school and about 6 or 7 kids are in school. Well, anyway, we walk into the house and I go by the bookshelf....full of JW books and mags. There were about 8 bible story books, about 20 bibles and a stack of watchtowers. I immediately tensed up. Some JW family is out there adopting all these special needs children. Some of the children only have mild or moderate mental disabilities, but some are severe like the little girl I see. Some have to be on vents 24 hours a day. They have adopted 14 kids. First of all no parents, JW or not cannot care for that many children and they get quality care. I met one of the older boys in the school, he was so cute and in need of so much attention. I just know they are making him go to meetings and trying to get a kid like that to sit still. He prolly gets beat. I know I am jumping to conclusions, but I was really upset when I left that house! How could they let anyone adopt that many kids especially a JW family!!!!!! Plus the house looked shabby and they had a dog and it smelled bad. Just not a good situation.

Quotes

Hhhhmmmm.... you may be jumping to conclusions.

If all you saw were bibles, My Book of Bible Stories, and Watchtowers, they may be "studying" with the JWs. This would be a pretty easy "mark" for a Publisher/Pioneer to place a bunch of literature: many handicapped kids who need attention.

Did you see any "Watchtower Bound Volumes" or other books which might indicate a higher level of involvement than simply passivley accepting literature delivered weekly my a manically smiling JW?

Either way, you are correct, IMHO... no one should be allowed to adopt this many kids, especially "special needs" kids like these.

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For interesting Watchtower Society literature quotes, complete with references but without any editorial, check out:
http://Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com

YoYoMama

I don't know many people that would be willing to adopt special needs children, so the work this couple is doing should be commendable. I agree with Quote that the literature does not necessarily mean that the couple are Witnesses. They could have just asked a local Witness for these copies, since it is by donation, then this couple could get the literature even if they don't have the money to pay for it.

Why shouldn't they be allowed to adopt 14 kids? If they can provide the love these children need, then more power to them.

I just know they are making him go to meetings and trying to get a kid like that to sit still. He prolly gets beat.

o.k., whatever. You didn't even think of asking the couple straigh out if they were Witnesses. And what the hell is the comment about beatings about? You just have a wild imagination or a sick one!

amccullough

That does sound like a shady situation. I definitely wouldn't jump to conclusions about them beating the children though, that is a serious accusation based on a general dislike of JWs (I'm assuming.) If they are JWs then it sounds like some messed up people that happen to be JWs. I seriously doubt being a JW would drive anyone to adopt 14 kids, especially if a number of them require special care. I truly hope those people are sincere and can care for those children, even though it does not seem likely.

wonderwoman77

Well they also had the young people ask books, the greatest man book, and the revelation books. This seems like they are either JW or very heavily involved. I could not ask them if they were witnesses because the parents were not there. I did talk to the nurse and neither parent works, they have it worked out that they get paid from the state. So where were the parents, well one was at the doctor with one of the kids, so that was ok, but the nurse did not know where the other one was, interesting huh? I agree that just because they are JW or likely JW's does not drive them to adopt special kids, but I do not think any should adopt that many. There is no way two people can give 14 children equal and fair care, especially that young boys that do not get there nurse or special attention, they likely get lost in the shuffle.

And Yo Yo, I should ignore you, but I have seen and heard kids get beat in the KH for not sitting still. Kids are kids, expecting them to sit still for long periods of time during a meeting that is over there heads is ridiculous. Apparently witnesses know nothing about child development....

amccullough

I agree that does not seem like a healthy situation, but come on, have a little faith in the human spirit

but the nurse did not know where the other one was, interesting huh?

Lord knows, with that many kids, running to the store is probably something best done alone. I do it with 2 kids and running to the store to buy milk takes about 3 times as long. Who knows, maybe he's out buying crack or getting a package of diapers.

Apparently witnesses know nothing about child development....

I don't know about that. My wife is a JW and in charge of early child development at a Montessori school. And our children are very good at sitting still at a meeting without beating them.

wonderwoman77

amccullough---

Well it was the dad that had went to the doctor, but the mom was not there. She would not take any of the children with her because they do not have a special van for those kids to even get in. The older kids that had finished school were just sitting around, most of them were moderate or mild and could be in a supported job situation, but are not. why? who knows.

I am not saying all JW are dumb when it comes to child development, but the way they set up the meetings is not good for children. They need to move and be active to learn. They do not learn like adults. They are not little adults like JW's say. Making a child sit for 2 hours and listen to adults blabber is not good. And when kids are noisy other JW often look at the parents and think they can not control their kids. That is a bunch of bull. I just think requiring that much out of small children is ridiculous.

amccullough

I feel for those children, mostly because they had to be adopted. I hope their situation is better than it seems.

I am not saying all JW are dumb when it comes to child development, but the way they set up the meetings is not good for children. They need to move and be active to learn. They do not learn like adults. They are not little adults like JW's say. Making a child sit for 2 hours and listen to adults blabber is not good.

I figured you didn't mean all JWs, but just wanted to cast a different light. I'm not sure if I agree with you on the rest of the quote above. Although it may not be the most conducive environment for learning, children do learn. For me, I was able to know the bible very well at a young age (and we didn't do much family studying so it was mostly meetings.) I was also able to develop a good set of morals that kept me out of a lot of trouble (not all!) So I see nothing wrong with children going to meetings. It helped me in my schoolwork as well. Again, I know it is not the best environment for learning at a very young age, but it works to some degree.

And when kids are noisy other JW often look at the parents and think they can not control their kids. That is a bunch of bull. I just think requiring that much out of small children is ridiculous.

I agree with you on this. People who act that way to parents have personal flaws and there is not a whole lot the WT can do about that. I think a balanced JW recognizes when its time to take your child for a walk outside, maybe go look at some flowers or look for lizards or whatever, instead of trying to endure the whole meeting.

wonderwoman77

am-- I agree, it is best for the parent to take the child to do something else if the child cannot sit still. It has been proven that children learn better by interacting with the environment, and not just sitting for two hours. You may have learned the bible at an early age and it may not be the worst solution, but kids do learn better in different situations and would have more fun with it and retain it better. I never understood why JW were against some type of sunday school or something for the children. Adults barely have a long enough attention span to sit through a sunday talk, let alone a 2 year old.

ShyGurlie

Hi. Well im young but i know enough to say that you are jumping to so many conclusions. you are bascically making up a whole story just from 14 kids and books. I am a JW and i do know a lot of young kids who are JW's too. Yes they are kids and are easily distracted, and can't sit down for a whole 2 hour span, but do remeber that these young kids dont just go to meetings all day, JW parents love their kids and its not right to just assume they beat their kids when they can'r sit still. obviousily u haven't been around the right witnesses but the fake ones. Please don't be negative to all JW's either because of your interpretaton of what you see.

My brush with the JW's

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