I am in a bad mood

Before my pregnancy with Zy I was running a drama program that included several young adults with disabilities. When I was pregnant with Zy I handed this class over to a friend and colleague. That person has recently been unable to teach, so I have stepped in again, temporarily. As well as the 15 students I know well from the "early days", there are 4 students whom I had not met before. Three of these students require additional support so as to fully participate in class, and that support is provided by someone from a disability service.

Last week, I noticed one of these students displaying slightly inappropriate (sexualised) behaviours towards her support person. This week, the behaviours has escalated to the point where they were impacting upon the class. I spoke with the student and her support person, and to cut a very long story short - the support person had no training as to how to respond to inappropriate behaviours, the student had no sexuality education as to what is and isn't appropriate and the service did not want to know about it. It seemed that the more I tried to talk to the service, the less receptive they were to listening.

I was disheartened by my experience with this service, but surely not all disability service providers in my area are so ignorant when it comes to sexuality education? I called a few other services to ask about their sexuality education programs and/or policies. Not one of them acknowledged sexuality education as something they provide to their clients or staff. Some even laughed at the suggestion that this kind of education is important.

Sexuality education for people with disabilities is something that I used to facilitate (as my job) on a very regular basis, and only stopped because of time constraints. I am utterly devastated that something of such value and importance seems now to be all but non existent. I know used to feel frustrated at the lack of knowledge and understanding service providers, parents and carers had around what sexuality education is and why it is so important - but it was balanced out by the feeling of empowerment I would get from being able to share this information with people.

Now I just feel frustrated.

And I don't get it.

I really do not understand how people can be so ignorant and unwilling to change.

Did you know that 83% of women with a disability will be sexually assaulted in their life time?

Eighty. Three. Percent.

That's more than eight in ten.

I do not understand how people can hear that statistic and not be so disgusted and so outraged that they take action.

I do not understand how people in human services, who's job it is to support and advocate for people, can hear that statistic and not even acknowledge that something has to be done.

Something more.

Something different.

Just something.

So I am in a bad mood, and everything that is wrong with this picture is running around and around in my head.

I feel overwhelmed and dis-empowered and frustrated and angry.

And I have nothing else to offer yet.

When I can turn my thoughts around and find something other than what is wrong with this situation, I'll be sure to post that as well.

But for now, I am in a bad mood.

Musical Madness

Miss J decided to write a song about me today. Last time she wrote a song it was about her two "might as well be" brothers - Mr R and TJ. It was stunningly beautiful and made every adult who heard it cry. So when she said she was writing a song about me, to be honest, I had high hopes.

Her brow wrinkled with concentration and she surveyed me with her bright blue eyes. Her head tilted to the left a little and her index finger found her chin in a gesture of thoughtfulness.

"Ummm...."

Yes my darling child? What wondrous words of insight and beauty do you wish to lay upon me?

"Can I stand on the kitchen table? I need a different perspective."

Oh. Sure.

She climbed up onto her podium the table and fixed her gaze not on me, but instead on the top of the fridge.
Her eyes lit up and a big grin spread across her face as inspiration came to her and words of adoration (ahem) sprang into her mind.

Having attracted the attention of her siblings, Mary Poppins and Aunty Sammi, Miss J's audience gathered and anticipation filled the air.

I was a little taken aback when she announced it would be to the tune of, "On Top of Old Smoky", but you know what, tune isn't really important - it's the thought that really counts...

With a twinkle in her eye, she began...

On top of the freeeeeeeeeeeezer..... Where no one can seeeeeeeeeeeee,
My mum keeps her choooooooooocolaaaaaate...... An addict is sheeeeeeeeee.

Chocolate's her liiiiiiiiiiife liiiiiiiine..... All day and all niiiiiiiiiiiight,
And if her stash ruuuuuuns oooooouuuuuut..... Be prepared for a friiiiiight!

'Cause my mum's quite scaaaaaaaaaary..... As scary can beeeeeeeeee,
When she has no chooooooooocolaaaaaaaaate..... And bad PMT-eeeeeeeee.

So take this fair waaaaaaaarniiiiiiiiing..... From someone who knooooooooows,
Step away from the choooooooocolaaaate..... Before mum explooooooodes!

And if you get caaaaaaught oooooouuuut..... Stealing from her staaaash,
I'd get out of tooooooooooooo-oooooooown...... And never come baaaaaaaack!

Sleep ins

4:30am

Miss F, "Mu-um.... If you don't get up now I'm going to stick a knife in the toaster while I try and make breakfast.. Unsupervised."

Me, "We don't have a toaster..."

Miss F, "Then I'll by one off ebay with your credit card while I go on the computer unsupervised."

Me, *Fake snoring*

Miss J, "Fine then. We'll take the lesbians breakfast in bed. And we won't knock."

Me, "I'm up!!!!!!!"