Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt » Readers’ CafÃ© Officially Opens Its Doors

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Readers’ CafÃ© Officially Opens Its Doors

Filed under: Readers Cafe — by Glenda at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2007

A sidewalk cafÃ© in Carouge, near the French border
(Photo credit: Janet Burgess)

Hello and welcome to the Readers’ CafÃ© â€“ a place to gather and to share. Given the beautiful summer weather, the patio is also open to enjoy.

Thank you for coming. I invite you to help yourself to a beverage of choice, get comfy and join in the conversation by posting comments below. All that I ask is that you respect others and keep it relatively family-friendly.

Since tonight is opening night, I’m not sure what to expect or where the conversation will lead us! But, taking risks add to the adventure of life!

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.
~ Leo F. Buscaglia

And that is great place to begin the conversation. Share a time when you took a risk. What happened? Was it as risky as you thought initially?

If you enjoyed this post, consider buying me a chai tea latte. Thanks kindly.

Comments (87)

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Do It Myself Blog » Join the Conversation at the Readers’ CafÃ© on Wednesday

87 Comments »

11860

Comment by Meike

July 18, 2007 @ 6:21 pm

Hey Mary…way to build up the ‘air miles’!!!

Welcome.

11861

Comment by Darrell

July 18, 2007 @ 6:23 pm

Meike

I was held back twice, grade 1 and two. It did affect my self esteem and I felt lost and it made me uncertain if it would happen again.

I did get through it but it was hard to swollow.

11862

Comment by Meike

July 18, 2007 @ 6:26 pm

Good Points Mary…All things to consider for sure!

11863

Comment by Darrell

July 18, 2007 @ 6:27 pm

Hi Mary

Nice to meet you.

11864

Comment by Karen Putz

July 18, 2007 @ 6:28 pm

Hi all!

Just popping in during a commercial (I’m watching Last Comic Standing).

Lori-Ann– visit http://www.handsandvoices.org — lots of articles on there. You are your child’s best advocate, don’t be afraid to advocate hard for his needs. I met a mom who was able to get a school to change an entire playground for her son with a cochlear implant (could not use plastic equipment) and also got the school to build an acoustically sound classroom.

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Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 6:28 pm

Thanks dear for sharing. It may help Meike to hear from someone who has been there, done that.

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Comment by Lori-ann

July 18, 2007 @ 6:29 pm

I’d like to say that, at this point last year, I was really feeling that I wanted to hold my son back from Kindergarten for another year. Having survived this past year, I have to say I am so happy with his progress and am very glad that I did take the “risk” and send him on into the school system. I know that he is on a modified program but that won’t change who he is in class with. Does Lucas have an IEP? Is he on a modified program? If he is then it shouldn’t matter which grade he spends time in as the modified program takes into consideration what he is capable of academically.

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Comment by Darrell

July 18, 2007 @ 6:32 pm

the goal is to do the best we can for as many people as we can. I will do what I can to help

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Comment by Meike

July 18, 2007 @ 6:32 pm

My friend suggested the ‘boost’ with an IEP.
He has no IEP at present. He has no need for it currently and is performing at grade level.

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Comment by Lori-ann

July 18, 2007 @ 6:33 pm

Thanks Karen,

I have been to the handsandvoices website many times. I used to use the dictionary there all the time but can’t access it now without a membership. (no credit cards to pay with)

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Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 6:34 pm

Hi Karen, thanks for popping in! Yes, you could probably really help Lori-ann with this stuff. Thanks.

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Comment by Karen Putz

July 18, 2007 @ 6:36 pm

Lori-Ann, I’m not familiar with a dictionary on the site that requires payment. Have you got a link?
We give away free memberships to anyone who cannot pay. Simply fill out a form and ask for one. 🙂

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Comment by Lori-ann

July 18, 2007 @ 6:36 pm

Oops, sorry, I should have followed the link before I jumped in there. That is not the same site I have been to previously.

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Comment by Meike

July 18, 2007 @ 6:38 pm

Thank you all for your comments.
I appreciate them and you all.
I need to leave the cafe…but will check back for any additional comments.
Cheers!

11876

Comment by Darrell

July 18, 2007 @ 6:41 pm

Meike

Have a good night

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Comment by Karen Putz

July 18, 2007 @ 6:41 pm

Have fun reading all the articles on the site! 🙂

11879

Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 6:42 pm

Thanks Meike. Hope you can come back in two weeks for the next Readers’ Cafe. Good luck with getting what Lucas needs so that he may reach his full potential.

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Comment by Lori-ann

July 18, 2007 @ 6:43 pm

We are not at all afraid to advocate for his needs. Getting response from those being advocated to is the frustrating part. There is always someone that the buck is passed to. And the bottom line always seems to be that we don’t qualify for service because of where we live. Right now, the issue is getting someone to come into the home to help me with toilet training. The therapist that works with him at school cannot come to the home because we live out of district. The therapist in the district that we live in can’t come to the home because he is not on her case load, he is on the case load of the therapist that works with him at school…..so, now, we have a seating therapist from the hospital that is going to come and bring me some equipment to trial but of course she doesn’t help with the training at all (only that he fits it)….EVERYTHING is so complicated!

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Comment by Darrell

July 18, 2007 @ 6:49 pm

Lori-Ann

I can understand how it feels, to know what is needed but cant get the help you need. what you need always seems simple but getting the help feels like more work than the problem.

Hang in there and let me know if I can help you.

11883

Comment by Ellen

July 18, 2007 @ 6:51 pm

hi all,

sorry i have away on the phone and now need to go.

nice meeting you all.

i’ll come back to the next one

bye

11884

Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 6:51 pm

Definitely not easy, Lori-ann. There is always some king of catch. I don’t know why it needs to be so complicated either.

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Comment by Glenda H

July 18, 2007 @ 6:51 pm

Hi Glenda, from your Virtual Twin! Just stopped by to visit your Readers’ Cafe. Looks like you’ve had a few visitors already.

I see there’s been some comments about “boosting” in school. I’m just the opposite of Mary…I was the youngest in my class. I started kindergarten at the age of school (had to go thru some special testing…maybe I was driving my mom nuts…I don’t know) and graduated high school at age 17. There is a difference between genders–socially, physically, emotionally–and I think that has a big difference as to whether to hold them back or go ahead and send them. In my case, I can’t imagine being in the class behind mine!

Good luck with the cafe, Glenda. I’ll stop back later.

P.S. Hi, Daryl!

11886

Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 6:53 pm

Night Ellen, thanks for coming. See you Monday!

11887

Comment by Karen Putz

July 18, 2007 @ 6:53 pm

Oh gosh! Sounds like your family is caught up in a bureaucratic shuffle!

I just finished a fight with our district to get a different placement for my son for high school, it sure wasn’t fun.

11888

Comment by Glenda H

July 18, 2007 @ 6:53 pm

In my post above, I meant, “I started kindergarten at the age of four…” Sorry about that!

11889

Comment by Mary McD

July 18, 2007 @ 6:53 pm

HI Darrell,

Nice to virtually meet you — it’s nice to see you here and hear your unique voice…

Mary McD
[Glenda’s biggest US fan…]

[toggling over to vote for the blog – as I do daily]

11891

Comment by Darrell

July 18, 2007 @ 6:56 pm

Thanks Mary

11892

Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 6:58 pm

Hi Glenda H, thanks for coming by!

Mary, thanks for voting!

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Comment by Lori-ann

July 18, 2007 @ 7:11 pm

Well, I’m off to put my wee boy to bed! (finally)

Talk to you all later!

Take care, everyone.

11896

Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 7:13 pm

Thank you everyone for coming to the opening of Readers’ Cafe. I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the doors. I told five people, excluding us two, would be a success in my mind. We’ve had seven! But, more importantly, we’ve had a good conversation. Thank you.

Feel free to continue chatting for as long as you like and please come back in two weeks for another Readers’ Cafe.

Meanwhile, please vote daily at http://www.blogforayear.com/profiles/glenda-watson-hyatt. And for Karen at http://www.blogforayear.com/profiles/deaf-mom. Yes, you can for more than one person each day.

Thanks again.

11897

Comment by Karen Putz

July 18, 2007 @ 7:14 pm

Thank you, Glenda. Congrats on a wonderful conversation tonight!

11899

Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 7:18 pm

Thanks Karen.

11905

Comment by Loree

July 18, 2007 @ 8:09 pm

Hi Glenda,
Good turnout for opening night!

11907

Comment by AnneShirley Manion

July 18, 2007 @ 8:15 pm

Hi! Just dropped by to say hello and good luck. I actually can to relate to the topics on your chat. My now grown son had learning dissabilities and I faced the same problems with him. Keep trying for help and change.
Shirley

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Comment by Glenda

July 18, 2007 @ 8:32 pm

Thanks Loree and Anneshirley for stopping by. Yes, despite all the advances, some things haven’t changed. And, you know, it all boils down to attitude and a lack of awareness.

12311

Comment by Barbara_Whelan

July 21, 2007 @ 8:31 pm

Hello, Glenda, Not sure how I stumbled or should I say blogged here. But, wanted to say a few words of encouragement. If I had such words that would be better. But, anyone way. Here I am and here’s my note to you. Glad to see you are not letting life’s struggles no matter how BIG get in your way. I say good for you. Makes the rest of us with no physical challanges look pretty little when we complain. You are an inspiration. Hey, I just saw a video clip on “The Fan” of a 5 year old they believe is the next Tiger Woods. He’s been swinging a golf club since the ripe old age of 3. His doctor has his autograph sure he is going to be the worlds best. If you get a chance look him up. Sorry, I didn’t remember his name. I did remember his story. He had a cancer and is playing gold against adults at age 5 (I had to repeat that) because he is doing this with one eye. His eye was removed due to the cancer. The doctor was explaining the complexity of his perception to even be able to hit the ball.

My website is about being debt free. A web based program to pay off debt quickly and reduce interest payments-focused on mortgages but will work well with high priced credit card debt, too.

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