Success Stories

Charlie

At just 2 years old, Mark Gourley and Wendy Kisch’s son Charlie struggled to control his emotions and behavior. Charlie had been kicked out of two day care centers because his aggression led to fights with other children and staff. “We were always worried that Charlie might be destructive or hurt someone,” said Mark. “Charlie’s teachers were also visibly frustrated by his inability to control his behavior and the other children at times were afraid of him.” For most parents, picking up their child from day care is a happy reunion, but for Mark and Wendy, it was an emotionally challenging time because they were reminded of their son’s destructive behavior during the day.

Mark and Wendy were desperate to find help for their son, but they were also concerned that placing an otherwise intelligent and articulate little boy in a restrictive learning environment might have more damaging long-term effects. Feeling helpless, his parents turned to the Therapeutic Nursery Program (TNP) at the Reginald S. Lourie Center for Infants and Young Children. The TNP addresses the needs of young children like Charlie who have emotional and behavioral problems that may interfere with success in a regular preschool or day care setting. In the TNP, children learn how to regulate the expression of their feelings, improve behavior within the classroom, and improve self-esteem by experiencing success. The program emphasizes building trusting relationships based on the philosophy that healthy relationships are the context for learning, growth, and change.

“Unlike other day care programs, the Lourie Center’s TNP staff assured us that they were trained to manage Charlie’s destructive behavior and would not give up on our son,” said Mark. For the first time, Mark and Wendy did not have to worry each time the phone rang that it might be a frustrated teacher telling them they cannot handle Charlie and asking them to pick him up from day care.

“The regimented program at the TNP helped Charlie recognize his limits and learn that his behavior had consequences.” After seven months in the TNP, Charlie learned how to better communicate his emotions in a more positive and productive way. “He is now encouraged to be the best he can be, and that sense of hope and well being has made such a difference in his life and ours,” said Wendy. “Without the assistance of the TNP, my son’s emotional disability and previous failures in day care would have limited his potential.”

Mark and Wendy hope to raise awareness of the needs of emotionally disabled children and the need for more specialized resources for these children and their families. “We are so grateful for the TNP – the only program of its kind in this area that could help my son,” said Wendy. “The program gave Charlie the foundation on which to build on his strengths and manage his weaknesses.

Today, Charlie is in the first grade and doing well, mainstreamed in his class at a school that offers a specialized program for children with emotional disabilities. “Our experience as a family has taught me to focus on what’s important in life and to have patience,” said Mark. “Charlie is a bright and articulate child who never ceases to amaze me.”