Hi, Mike!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

AH>  It's far more demanding, physically & mentally, than it
AH>  is for the average person.  But to a suprising number of
AH>  adults this routine sounds easier than going on a bus to
AH>  a local shopping mall to eat lunch & take in a movie.
AH>  Go figger... (sigh).

MP>  They would probably be surprised to find out that there
MP>  are young people that actually have the discipline to go
MP>  through the routine.


           Yes, I think people tend to see what they expect to see.  I've
caught myself doing that too!  A few months ago, for example, while I was
searching for the pieces from a tiny flashlight which had fallen apart in
the street, I almost overlooked part of a switch because I didn't realize
it was missing.  However, I find it frustrating when I tell somebody we're
on our way to do xxx and they act as if we were going on holiday... it
seems they're not paying attention.  That's one of the reasons we relate
better to folks who have similar problems, I guess. They understand that
physiotherapy can be difficult & painful sometimes....  :-/



MP>  They probably figure that, like many, she probably does not,
MP>  just because there are a lot of completely able-bodied kids
MP>  that wouldn't.  Sounds like they'd be wrong.  ;-)


           Maybe I ought to be grateful that when these people look at Nora
they see a "typical" kid... a human being with feelings, needs,
and aspirations a lot like those of other kids.  I worked with teenagers
years ago.  Surely there must still be a few who practise on a musical
instrument regularly, or get up at 5:00 A.M. to participate in some kind of
sport, or have time for very little else but working & studying... just
as there were then.  I know there are some who attend language classes
outside of school.  Not all teenagers use street drugs or steal cars to go
joyriding in, although one might think so from the news reports!  But then
there's the conversation I had with another Mom about a year ago.  She said
she often wished her "typical" son was more like the one who has
Down's syndrome because the former gives up when he's unsuccessful on the
first attempt....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+