On Tuesday 09 January 2001  6:56 am, mom mhc wrote:
> Hi all!
> On the 11th I am giving an inservice training to guardian ad
> litems/court-appointed special advocates on parents with disabilities, ADA,
> reasonable accomadations, etc.
>
> I think it could be a real step forward in the issue of CPS & disabled
> parents.
>
> So, if there was one thing you would want them to know about how to assess/
> view a parent with diabilities, & their overall functioning, what would it
> be?
>
> This is a chance folks to have some real input with the folks whose
> opinions carry much weight in court---so help me teach them. Renee

This is an interesting area for me, since my wife and I both have CP, and
have 3 kids. We planned the family with big gaps, 5yr/4yr, to avoid work
overload.

In general the professional support we received (in the UK) was excellent,
they just let us get on with it, but kept a watchful eye on the kids
development.

Unfortunately, Linda didn't manage to breast feed the first child - I blame
her mother (who was a midwife) who insisted Lin do it "normally". For the 2nd
and 3rd I wouldn't let her mum near until the baby was about a week old, and
let Lin have the confidence to find her own way of doing it. I wouldn't say
it was particularly discreet - virtually stripped to the waist with
strategically placed  cushions!! She's such a brazen hussy!!!

My biggest concern, before the kids, was they may develop speech problems
(because both parents have slurred speech) - this did NOT happen. I don't
know why - probably too much Radio/TV!!

All 3 kids were very independent at a young age, dressing themselves etc.,
basically because they discovered it was quicker for them to do it themselves
than wait for us!!!

Of course we got the cretins who asked if the kids were disabled, or
suggested we should have been sterilised before "being allowed" to marry, but
these were few.

Hope this helps

Good luck tomorrow.

Cheers

Deri