A couple of years ago when I was in an elevator with Lauren, two women started tossing the word "retarded" around in a derogatory way. I was so taken aback that I kind of stood there with my mouth open. Lauren told me that teenagers use that word jokingly, not really thinking twice that it might possibly offend somebody. That makes me kind of sad that the younger generation thinks that is okay, it really isn't. There is the best website connected with the Special Olympics, here is the link: http://www.r-word.org/ . It stands for "spread the word to end the word." When the word "retard" or "retarded" is used within the content of a joke, in a derogatory way, as slang or as a slur, it is incredibly offensive, disrespectful and insulting to an entire segment of the population. Instead, let's use the word "special needs." I truly can't wrap my mind around how people actually think it's funny to use the "r" word in a joke. It really isn't humorous at all and it is never acceptable. I know that I can't go back in time, but I really wish I could - I would have jumped up on my "soapbox" and said something to those women in the elevator!
When Dominic was diagnosed with Autism at 2 1/2, I went to our local library and took out every book I could find about Autism. Sometimes I would bring back 20 books. This was 2006, so a lot of the information was very "dated." I guess I was looking for a book that would tell me what I should do next, like a "manual." Autism doesn't quite work that way! The saying is, " if you know one person with Autism, you know one person with Autism." Every mom to an individual with Autism follows their own "path." I think as moms, we judge ourselves much harder than anyone else does. I was 41 when I had Dominic. Did he get the diagnosis of Autism because I was an older mom? because I drank a lot of pop? I could sit and think about that every minute of every day. I am pretty integrated into the Autism community around Lansing and have told more than one person that it took me about two weeks to come to terms with Dominic's diagnosis. It is so incredib...
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