Loved this article. I received it from a Mom who has a dd with Down's and I wish everyone in the world were required to read it. I HATE the 'r' word and better NEVER, EVER hear my children use it. Honest to goodness, given the choice, I'd rather hear them curse (although I'd better never hear either!).

A mother's view of a word that wounds: 'Retard'

Thank you and i agree with you.

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SAHM to
DS 14
DD 2
DD 1

Good article. I blow my top when I hear people use that word. Especially how so many adults use it in regular conversation.

Ok, this is very very very un PC so please no flames. It is just me being painfully honest.

I have a friend and her son has Williams syndrome. Hunter has autism. When I was awarded so much money on our waiver we were talking about it. She said to me something to the likes of ...

My tard is so much worse than your tard, why did you get so much? Rather than being mad or even hurt I realized this is just part of the coping skills she has to deal with her son's issues for the rest of her life.

We have discussed this a few times since, using the R word and we agreed that in our private conversations it is an acceptable term because we deal with it. However, God forbid anyone without a SN child use it.

Again, this is just the truth. I don't use the word at any other time but I do with my friend because she uses it to help her cope.

I was shocked when the reporters reporting about the wrestler who just killed his wife and child called the child retarded. It just seems so disrespectful of a term. Mental disability seems to be a much kinder and respectful term.
I couldn't imagine calling my own child that term if he suffered from problems. We are the ones protecting and sheltering our children why would we use those terms even to cope? I'm not flaming tacoma i'm just stating my opinion.

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Jodie....Wife to Andrew (1995)
Mommy to Riley (2000) and Wyatt (2003)