It is not the best thing to insinuate, "I know what you want, and you don't know what you want, and I am going to make you have it."
Whether you are a fanatic for sign language, Deaf Culture, cochlear implants, hearing aids, oral/aural methods, cued speech, AVT, or what have you, you need to consider everyone else and what they may want or what they think works best for them.
Often I hear from parents of deaf and hard of hearing children stories about doctors, teachers, and other professionals practically force feeding them their ideals without asking them first or considering who they are and what they may want. People new to deafness or hearing loss issues are often overwhelmed and feeling lost. Last thing they need is someone demanding that they do as they say and not consider other options. They need all the information they can get. But, it is up to the person who needs help to seek out the information and it is up to the professionals to make the information available and to provide guidance. Everyone, even audiologists, deserve a chance to voice their opinions and knowledge to people seeking information about deaf and hard of hearing issues.
It is better to say, "Oh, okay. Here is a lot of information about this and that. Here is what I think about it in my professional opinion (and/or from personal experiences). If you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to assist you." Then walk away and let them be until they ask for your help again.
It's like buying a new car. Are you going to go to the first dealership in town and immediately buy a car? No, most people would do the research. They will ask friends, family, professionals, do some research online. People will often shop around and ask many questions until they feel they have come to the right decision. Hopefully, no one would fall for the one person who says, "I know what you want, and you don't know what you want, and I am going to force you to have it. Ready to buy what I have to offer?"
Please consider all options. Do your research. Don't go by what one person says, always get a second opinion.
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Whether you are a fanatic for sign language, Deaf Culture, cochlear implants, hearing aids, oral/aural methods, cued speech, AVT, or what have you, you need to consider everyone else and what they may want or what they think works best for them.
Often I hear from parents of deaf and hard of hearing children stories about doctors, teachers, and other professionals practically force feeding them their ideals without asking them first or considering who they are and what they may want. People new to deafness or hearing loss issues are often overwhelmed and feeling lost. Last thing they need is someone demanding that they do as they say and not consider other options. They need all the information they can get. But, it is up to the person who needs help to seek out the information and it is up to the professionals to make the information available and to provide guidance. Everyone, even audiologists, deserve a chance to voice their opinions and knowledge to people seeking information about deaf and hard of hearing issues.
It is better to say, "Oh, okay. Here is a lot of information about this and that. Here is what I think about it in my professional opinion (and/or from personal experiences). If you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to assist you." Then walk away and let them be until they ask for your help again.
It's like buying a new car. Are you going to go to the first dealership in town and immediately buy a car? No, most people would do the research. They will ask friends, family, professionals, do some research online. People will often shop around and ask many questions until they feel they have come to the right decision. Hopefully, no one would fall for the one person who says, "I know what you want, and you don't know what you want, and I am going to force you to have it. Ready to buy what I have to offer?"
Please consider all options. Do your research. Don't go by what one person says, always get a second opinion.
(e
I certainly agree with this. Always shop around and ask other people for 2nd opinions. So you have a mixture of different views, then go from there.
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