Today 03/31/09 has been selected to End the "R" word!!! What is the "r" word? It is Retard or Retarded. For those of you who don't know me well, I have a beautiful 2 1/2 year old little girl, Ella Grace, and she has Down syndrome. With the diagnosis of Down syndrome comes mild to moderate mental retardation.
I realize that people use the word retard often, and really don't mean any offense to people that actually have mental retardation. The word is often used to put down a friend or an object as a joke. Well, let me tell you that it hurts. It probably does not hurt the person it is told to, but it hurts those standing by, those that are the parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and friends of someone who has an actual diagnosis of mental retardation. To cut some one down by comparing them to a PERSON with a disability is not funny.
The word brings tears to my eyes. Of course my sweet little Ella.....
does not understand right now, at 2 years old, that word. She does not understand that people would actually make fun of her, or put others down by comparing them to her. She doesn't know that kind of hurt. Yet. I dread the day when she comes home from school like this....
because someone has called her a name. I dread the day when my son, Ella's older brother Hunter, comes home upset or maybe in trouble for fighting because he was trying to defend his innocent little sister.
So, I am asking you all PLEASE STOP USING THE "R" WORD, it hurts!!! Please, parents share this with your children. Thank you so much for reading this.
7 comments:
Kacey,
GREAT post! Poor little Ella in the picture where she is crying! By the way - my daughter Anne, who is also 2 1/2, LOVES looking at your blog, especially the video of Ella dancing to "shake your booty" - she will actually ask me to "see Ella Grace dance". Just thought you would get a kick out of that :)
I posted about this on my blog and linked to Renee. Great post. I try to be an example to my peers going into education. I even called someone out and they had never thought about it before. Its all about awareness!
Oh Ella I don't like to see your tears even though you are soooo cute. I hope when you are my age that word does go away.
They actually had a little something about the "no R word" day on Good Morning America this morning too!! Spread the word...the more who hear the more will hear!!! And BTW, poor baby crying...what was the story behind that pic??!! Love ya's, Aunt Tami and Family
Just rip a girl's heart out with a picture like that one of Ella. I even had a friend comment to me about her concern for the R word, because of us adding a child to our family who has DS...she was concerned for the siblings, so although I do not understand wholly, I do in part. Thanks for saying it again.
that pic of Ella crying makes me want to cry-great post-I have been out of town and haven't posted about this! I really want to know what kind of headbands you buy for Ella and where?
Awww
I don't like that pic of Ella Crying!! It Makes me soo sad!! I can't even look at it. Little Princess!!!
Post a Comment