My Left Foot

In the story My Left Foot, Christy Brown was diagnosed at the age of three with cerebral palsy. Many people began to give up on him, but his mother did not. She told everyone that they were all wrong and that he was a normal child. She worked with Christy every

There were times that her Cerebral Palsy caused great heartaches. Heather attended school just like other children her age but often times she would go home from school with great heartache. Heather would get off of the bus to meet her Grandmother in tears because a fellow

For as long as I can remember, my parents always showed their care for me, and with everything they did, they kept their children in mind. Although what they did wasn’t always in the best interests of my siblings and I, they never intended to harm us. What strengthened our love even more was all of the struggles we faced together. These things, although shocking to others, are what strengthened our family’s bond. Even after my father became a serious alcoholic, he never stopped caring for us. My love for him and my mother reciprocated this. Throughout my childhood, my mother and father never stopped trying to do the best for their kids. They simply did it in their own special ways. Because of their dedication to me, I never gave up on them, even if at times, it may not have been the best idea.”

the target behavior that I would like to streghntehn in my 5 year old chihuahua is to have her give me her paw.

In the past few years of my life, I overcame many obstacles: losing family members, escaping war, living in Ethiopian refugee camp for five years, and adjusting to a new culture here in America. These experiences had already shaped me to care for others, to become empathetic, and to contribute for the better of the world. Therefore, my experiences at the Arc of southern Maryland did not change who I am, but enhanced my understanding of intellectual disability and made me a stronger person in giving care for

Perseverance is a quality which allows a person to complete things despite hardships. Christy’s mother persevered to bridge the gap between her children. Christy’s siblings loved him, but only treated him sympathetically. “While my father was out at bricklaying earning our bread and butter for us, mother was slowly, patiently pulling down the wall, brick by brick, that seemed to thrust itself between me and the other children...” (158). Christy reveals in this quote that his mother worked painstakingly to make sure all of her children treated each other equally. She also made sure to make Christy feel as normal as possible. She would never hide him, or treat him like the queer one, when guests came

This week in class we had a class discussion talking about the impact of the child’s surrounding family-wise. We read issue 8 in Taking Sides and chapter 8 in Devlopment of Children and Adolescants as well.

Growing up as the oldest of five children taught me valuable lessons such as taking on responsibility at a young age and becoming a role model for my siblings. My fierce independence derived from watching my mother raise us as a single parent for the majority of her life. The hardships of a broken family were rough at times, but in retrospect, they made me the strong-minded and hard working person I am today. I often took on responsibilities around the house and helped care for my siblings as my mother worked multiple jobs to provide for us. The challenges of my upbringing have allowed me to empathize easily with people who face a wide range of

As my parents grew further apart, my siblings and I grew closer together. Having grown up in a rural community, my father was greatly supported emotionally, as our family and friends could see how the pressures of being the sole-provider weighed on him.

This was especially true for my little brother, Cohan, who struggled in the mornings to get ready for school because I would miss Dad and inconsequentially reminded Cohan that he was not with us. Coming to accept the impact I had on those around me, I chose to maintain a positive outlook and kept my head up, rather than being defeated by the stress that came with my responsibilities. By presenting an optimistic view on our situation, Cohan found value in remaining time he had to spend with his friends in Keller.

Having a child with disabilities affects families in ways that people without disability in their life will never be able to fully understand. This reflection only touched based on three large aspects but disability affects families in many other ways. It is truly amazing how families change and become so strong at a time when everything around them seems to be

Have you ever wondered how it would be to have a mentally handicapped parent? A couple of weeks ago this writer's class started to read a book called So. B.It; is a story about a twelve-year-old girl, Heidi, who wants to learn about her past. Heidi’s mother is mentally handicapped,but still exceedingly loves her daughter in her own way. In the movie, I Am Sam, a handicapped adult tries to raise his daughter with help with his friends and his next door neighbor Annie (who has agoraphobia),

“It would be difficult to exaggerate the degree to which we are influenced by those we influence.” ~ Eric Hoffer.

When there were challenges, this participant described how her parents worked together to ensure that her needs were met.

     Christy Brown was born in Ireland in 1932, after a difficult birth and with a serious disability that the doctors of the time were unable to name. They urged his parents not to place their trust in him, as he was, they believed, an imbecile After he was born, his parents then had five other children, all healthy. Christy 's mother, however, refused to systemize him, keeping him at home and treating him with tender care. It would not be until years later that she would learn that Christy 's affliction was severe cerebral palsy. At the age of 5, he wrote his first letter ,”A”, on a chalkboard using his left foot.  His left foot proved to the family he was not an imbecile but a human being able to think and express his  thoughts. His mother was resolute to teaching her son the basics of