To all the parents of people with intellectual disabilities,
I was not referring to you when I made my comments about parents
controlling the adendas in support groups. I was referring to groups where
adults with the condition have the intellectual capacity to run their own
lives. Many physical disabilities with childhood onset are a case in point.
>Dear Felicity,
>
>With 31 years of being the parents of an intellectualy disabled daughter
>behind us, in our mid sixties and with no relief in sight, my wife and I are
>two of the thousands of empirical examples of what you write about. Of
>course we want the best for our daughter, of course we want an environment
>where her physical, emotional and psychological needs are taken care of, one
>that will survive us.
>
>However, while government neglects its responsibility to and on behalf of
>the community it represents, parents will continue toprovide the best
>environment and quality of life they can to their sons and daughters, for as
>long as they can and at the direct expense of their own.
>
>As my friend Dianne observed: "why do we (parents) have to work so
>incredibly hard for so little, and then have to be grateful as well?"
>
>Amen to that. rgds John
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Felicity Maddison" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 8:58 AM
>Subject: response to Rosemary Pryor
>
>
>Dear Rosemary,
>Parents who have sons and daughters with an intellectual disability are most
>likely to experience, due to the lack of supports available in the
>community, a prolongation of, and continuance in, their intensive parenting
>role well beyond the years generally accepted by the broader community. It
>is the parents who are expected to provide support,physically,emotionally
>and financially. They are very much stakeholders and
>societal/governmentexpectation appears to be that if their offspring with a
>disability has a child (with or without a disability) and cannot raise that
>child unassisted that it is the family who would take up the reins on a
>second involuntary term of intensive parenting. Parents know only too well
>the difficulties experienced in raising a child with a disability. Most
>parents want a better life for their children than they have had. So why
>would they a) want to their son or daughter to replicate their experiences
>particularly when their offspring's coping mechanisms may not be as finely
>honed as their own and b) line themselves up for a perpetual double dose of
>of intensive parenting. There can be virtue in selfishness.
>Regards
>felicity
>
>________________End of message______________________
>
>Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
>are now located at:
>
>www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
>
>You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
>
>________________End of message______________________
>
>Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
>are now located at:
>
>www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
>
>You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
=================================================
Rosemary Pynor
School of Behavioural & Community Health Sciences
University of Sydney
PO Box 170 LIDCOMBE NSW 1825
AUSTRALIA
61 2 9351 9598 (ph)
61 2 9351 9540 (fax)
________________End of message______________________
Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
are now located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
|