Theresa Howard has an article about how much the expletive "you're such a retard!" wounds a mother's heart. I can certainly relate to that!
It amazes people when I tell them that there is a 60 point IQ range for individuals with Down syndrome, just as there is with the typical population, it just starts lower. There are people out there with Down syndrome who are smarter than the average Joe. So there!
HOWEVER, even if they aren't more intelligent according to some test, I have NEVER seen a person with Down sydrome call another person such a hurtful name.
They're way too emotionally intelligent for that!
Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Cause of Our Joy, and my three daughters, the cause of my joy.
3 comments:
The book "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman comes to mind. We place too much emphasis on "IQ" in this country, and testing is having such a terrible result on classroom teaching. The physical and emotional violence that runs rampant in our country could be prevented by parents' teaching their children how to handle their emotions. This is one thing that give homeschoolers a definite social edge. Their parents are always around to guide their social interactions, rather than the negative learning children get from watching their peers tease eachother. I could go on and on, and I have already...
I agree with you totally, Elizabeth!
Howard's article, so well written, expresses my feelings exactly. Not long ago, our family was enjoying lunch at an International Children's Festival. One table over, a young typical teenage boy, was freely using the word "retarded" in front of our son, and his parents who had clearly seen Gabriel. I can't explain the sorrow I felt...this young man is in the new and upcoming generation of our times. Will the use of such a hurtful word ever end? I am preparing myself to face Gabriel the day he asks me what it means...
Post a Comment