That's a good point, Bobby, as the only interaction I had with other
disabled people were at school.  My parents raised me to be
independent, and I think they saw the schools for people with
disabilities at the time as not fostering independence so they sent
me to regular schools after I left elementary school.  My mother,
particularly, felt that other parents tended to treat their children
as babies, not as maturing kids.  (which as I recall, wasn't too far
off in a lot of cases)

I think it's absolutely vital for disabled children to go to school
with able-bodied kids and learn to interact with everyone, not just
other disabled people.  Otherwise how will they learn to function
well at school or work?



Kat

On Oct 9, 2005, at 4:35 PM, Bobby Greer wrote:

> Susie,
>
>
>        Some people identify witth others with disabililities and
> some with
> the nondisabled. I have studied the psyhcology of disability and  even
> so-authored a text book on the subject. Those identifying with disbled
> person general grow up in a "disability  rich" environment such as
> Special
> Education, while others grow up around persons without disability
> and are
> interacted with as if their disability is minimal.
>
> Bobby
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <[log in to unmask]>
> Newsgroups: bit.listserv.c-palsy
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 11:23 AM
> Subject: Re: New member
>
>
>
>> In a message dated 10/9/2005 12:03:27 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
>> [log in to unmask] writes:
>>
>> Also, I  agree with Mag in that I think you're labelling yourself
>> in a
>> negative  way.   I have CP and am in a wheelchair because I wore out
>> my hip  joints but I don't consider myself disabled and never have.
>> It's all how in  you see yourself and the world, I suppose.  If
>> someone tells me I'm  disabled, I just stop and stare and them -
>> unnerves 'em every time!  ;)
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>> I'm quite a lurker here - this may be my first post ever (at least in
>> quite
>> a while).
>>
>> I am so glad to read what you wrote above.  I grew up not
>> believing I  was
>> disabled - or even that people with more involved conditions were
>> - we all
>> have
>> our own set of abilities.
>>
>> Then I moved to a certain state I won't name and began working in the
>> disability community.
>> I've had an enormous amount of trouble from people I work with for
>> "not
>> acting like a person with a disability" and "not taking my disability
>> seriously."
>> Sometimes, I think these people (not with disabilities
>> themselves, but
>> with
>> family members with disabilities) get a charge out of being  the
>> Helpers.
>> I
>> have CP, but didn't need their help and it confused  them.  Just a
>> theory...........
>>
>> Also, I do wonder why some people with disabilities indentify with
>> the
>> disability label and some don't.  To each his own - I just wonder
>> what
>> makes the
>> difference.
>>
>> I had begun to think, in the back of my mind, that there is something
>> wrong
>> with my thinking. In reality, I know there are others who share my
>> view -
>> it's
>> just nice to read it so clearly.
>>
>> Have a great Sunday.
>> Susie
>