tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post3173080957642651288..comments2024-02-25T10:24:30.868-05:00Comments on Special needs disability parenting BLOOM: Tales of kindness and contemptBLOOM - Parenting Kids With Disabilitieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06901482901008135659noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-11132967216672519552017-05-09T08:07:25.962-04:002017-05-09T08:07:25.962-04:00Interesting conversation. We lived in London for 9...Interesting conversation. We lived in London for 9 years and I would say that having a disability there especially on public transit can be pretty awful. I'm sure it's the result of chronic overcrowding and the stress of daily commuting. Once, coming out of the underground at night, a fellow (who looked pretty drunk) dropped his cell phone. It shattered into pieces on the floor. My husband instinctively bent down to help pick up the pieces and the fellow shoved him aside. I think the fellow thought my husband was trying to steal his phone. My husband explained he was only trying to help and the guy exclaimed, "This is London, mate!" Now, in our family, when anyone offers unwanted help or when we observe people behaving badly in public, we say, "This is London, mate!"The Caregivers' Living Roomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10920119448415733545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-9324998983684847022017-05-08T18:37:26.073-04:002017-05-08T18:37:26.073-04:00An interesting question: are there differences in ...An interesting question: are there differences in tolerating/accepting/celebrating disabilities from country to country, city to city? <br /><br />I know when we were in Ireland 9 years ago with Aaron (who has Down syndrome) it was a VERY friendly place for him - folks spoke to him directly and with great respect. But I don't know if that was random, or about what energy we were extending out...or if it was the country's culture. We DID encounter lots of folks with Down syndrome specifically - that could have been random too, but it also could have had to do with their prenatal termination rate (termination due to 'fetal anomalies' is illegal there). France, England, Wales and Spain have high termination rates. reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2344123/<br /><br />I'm making some big assumptions here, but it is an interesting discussion. ALSO I know I'm just talking about Down syndrome, but I wonder if 'tolerance' for disabilities of all kinds is higher in countries who HAVE more people with disabilities who are visible in schools/the community?Sue Robinshttp://www.suerobins.comnoreply@blogger.com