I'm Overly Sensitive
When oldest boy was diagnosed with autism, lo these many years ago, my feelings were hurt.
Actually they were shredded into tiny bits. There were no guarantees that he would ever talk. There was no idea of what his potential was. There was no knowledge of what kind of behaviors we would face.
There was no guarantee of how this would also affect my second child I was so obviously pregnant with in that exam room.
Who we now know is even more affected by autism than his brother.
When I sent him off on a school bus at 3 years of age, when we had wanted to nurture him at home, my feelings were hurt. Seeing my baby get on that bus tore me to pieces.
When we couldn't get physical or occupational or speech therapy at school or our community, except as a lame excuse for an aide, my feelings were hurt.
When there was no ABA available , and I bought books and set up my own therapy, my feelings were hurt.
When a kindergarten teacher told me she had taught an autistic kid in her class once, but he wasn't NEARLY as severe as MY kid, my feelings were hurt.
When call after call came from the school about my kid's SIB and aggressive behaviors, my feelings were hurt.
When a teacher wondered why she had to teach my kid in her class, when he so obviously belonged in a 'special' class, my feelings were hurt.
When a psychologist used a test to diagnose my son as MR that he acknowledged was inappropriate and did not accurately measure my son, my feelings were hurt.
When kids told my son that people would laugh if he dropped his pants, my feelings were hurt.
When the adults at that program said it was my son's fault, my feelings were hurt.
When kids got up and moved away from my son when he sat down at their table in middle school, my feelings were hurt.
When I tell my son that he won't be able to get his driver's license when his friends do, my feelings are hurt.
When I try to explain to my Aspie little one why he has trouble playing with his friends, my feelings are hurt.
So you'll understand that
When you use 'retard' as a perjorative to describe yourself or others as:
Stupid, forgetful, silly, dumb, different, someone you dislike.
I feel like punching you in the face.
Actually they were shredded into tiny bits. There were no guarantees that he would ever talk. There was no idea of what his potential was. There was no knowledge of what kind of behaviors we would face.
There was no guarantee of how this would also affect my second child I was so obviously pregnant with in that exam room.
Who we now know is even more affected by autism than his brother.
When I sent him off on a school bus at 3 years of age, when we had wanted to nurture him at home, my feelings were hurt. Seeing my baby get on that bus tore me to pieces.
When we couldn't get physical or occupational or speech therapy at school or our community, except as a lame excuse for an aide, my feelings were hurt.
When there was no ABA available , and I bought books and set up my own therapy, my feelings were hurt.
When a kindergarten teacher told me she had taught an autistic kid in her class once, but he wasn't NEARLY as severe as MY kid, my feelings were hurt.
When call after call came from the school about my kid's SIB and aggressive behaviors, my feelings were hurt.
When a teacher wondered why she had to teach my kid in her class, when he so obviously belonged in a 'special' class, my feelings were hurt.
When a psychologist used a test to diagnose my son as MR that he acknowledged was inappropriate and did not accurately measure my son, my feelings were hurt.
When kids told my son that people would laugh if he dropped his pants, my feelings were hurt.
When the adults at that program said it was my son's fault, my feelings were hurt.
When kids got up and moved away from my son when he sat down at their table in middle school, my feelings were hurt.
When I tell my son that he won't be able to get his driver's license when his friends do, my feelings are hurt.
When I try to explain to my Aspie little one why he has trouble playing with his friends, my feelings are hurt.
So you'll understand that
When you use 'retard' as a perjorative to describe yourself or others as:
Stupid, forgetful, silly, dumb, different, someone you dislike.
I feel like punching you in the face.
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