A Mom’s Story – Fighting Words
Posted on: June 30, 2010
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- 4 Comments
I can’t resist posting a link to a great essay a Facebook friend posted yesterday. The mother of one of the Friends regulars is a writer and posts many of her links and articles on her Facebook page.
Yesterday, she posted a link to an essay written by Elissa Wald, the mother of a young daughter who has just begun to stutter. The article is titled, Fighting Words. The subtitle states: A stutter has emerged. Why does everyone insist it is a gift?
The essay explores stuttering literature she has researched, including lists of famous people who stutter. She also reflects on her hopes for her child, that she somehow comes to terms with her stuttering on her own someday and lets her mom know about it.
This essay is honest, poignant, hits home and demonstrates the positive and healthy attitude toward stuttering that all parents should have. I hope as many people as possible read this article and leave comments for Wald on her own site.
She got me thinking about a whole lot of things, as I m sure it will do for you too!
4 Responses to "A Mom’s Story – Fighting Words"
July 2, 2010 at 11:32 PM
That article got me thinking about my life and my experiences. When the author was talking about how her brother wanted salt but if was something he couldn’t get he had to ask for that got me thinking about my life and how I do that so many times. Actually yesterday my family and I went somewhere and I was short a straw so I went up to get a straw but you had to ask for it so I went back and told my twin sister to ask for a straw she said why don’t you? and I just said I don’t want to and she didn’t get me one. Usually when I ask her to get me something it takes some (almost begging) but she does. So finally she got me one. My brother also gets so angry at me when I don’t pick up the phone he says “why don’t you get the phone what’s wrong with you?. he doesn’t get it at all.
July 3, 2010 at 8:14 PM
Bethany,
Have you ever told your siblings how it makes you feel, really feel, when you stutter in those situations? I bet you feel vulnerable, exposed, scared, right? If you tell them that is what you feel like in those moments, that will help them to “get it”.
We can’t assume people will just get us – if they have never stuttered and never felt those moments of shame, as hard as it might be, you should tell them. It might make you feel better as well, to get it out there.
They still might make you get your own straw, but maybe at least with a bit more understanding of the silent struggle.
July 21, 2010 at 1:35 AM
Hi, I found this story to be very poignant! I can really feel for the mom….She just want’s the best for her child! And it seems, her child will have a struggle, her whole life….But! this could also be a time when Mom, and Charlotte, could begin to figure out ways to help the little girl….And it doesn’t have to be a struggle, either…Like my sister…After she struggled for sooo long, she began to embrace it! And now my fabulous sister, Pamela, is doing wonderfully well! She is reaching out to others, and is doing a great job of it! Just keep on keeping on…..Bye!
Make Room For The Stuttering 
June 30, 2010 at 8:14 PM
Thanks for sharing this, Pam. Nice article. I like how she comes to the conclusion that everybody has something that makes them different or caused some kind of damage in our lives. We’re not alone in that. And I like her take on John Melendez. Did you hear him speak at the NSA conference? He may not be a role model in all aspects of his life but he does have something interesting to say!