The babysitter from Hell?

Whether your child is disabled or not, would you trust a "Registered" home based babysitter with your child, only hearing about her by word of mouth? 

In the late 90's was a babysitter trusted?

What were their physical limitations as a babysitter?

I was born in 1994 and as you know I was born with a physical disabily. It was quite challenging for my mum and dad when it came to being the bread winners for their family. It came to a stage where both, my mum and dad had to get out in the workforce as Centrelink were denying them a carers payment, "I wasn't severe enough". 

They used to take me to my grandparents house to be babysat, but, as everyone has their own lives, my grandparents couldn't always take care of me.

My mum and dad were running out options to where I could stay while they were working. Because they lived in a small country town, everyone knew everyone else. They had heard about a "Registered" home based babysitter. She was a "friend" of everyone's, trusting, honest, caring (IF you MUST). I can remember the first couple of days now, so "kind" to me and my parents, then, BOOM! One day my mum dropped me off at her house, as a "normal" child does, I cried for a bit because I didn't want my mum to leave.

As soon as my mum left, she smacked me for crying and told me "if you don't shut up you'll get another one" and threatened me that if I told anyone that I'll also get another smack, then threw me on the bed, "now go to sleep or think about what you've done". 

When I woke up, I was hoping I had slept enough so that it was time for me to go home. She came into the room, picked me up "are you ready to eat"? My heart sunk as it became clear to me that this was what I would have to endure. Because I had a disability, it was harder for me to be as active as someone without a disability, which is why I had trouble with passing bowel movements which led me to being constipated, but, I also had trouble with holding my bladder. All my meals had to consist of vegetables mixed with mashed potatoes, fruit and lots of water. SHE (who will unfortunately not be named) was feeding me lunch that my mum had provided, which was supposed to last for the whole day, while feeding me, she was going too fast and I hardly got the chance to swallow before she gave me the next spoonful, I obviously had my mouth full when she tried forcing more food into my mouth, I told her that I'd had enough, "no you can eat more", my mum had given her instructions that I need to eat so that it would help me go to the toilet, she thought that she needed to make me eat the whole lot. I told her that I felt sick, she kept forcing it down my throat, until I vomited all over her. I would've only been about 2 or 3, MAYBE 4, so I can't remember everything because I wanted to block that memory off, but, I remember copping a wack on my leg (which had surgery done to it months ago), picked me up with my own vomit still on me and getting thrown me on the bed again, "you little bitch you just don't learn you must like upsetting me you're not coming out until you learn your lesson". SHE usually looked after other children as well. Another day that I was there SHE was babysitting other children, and as I said because I have a physical disability, it was hard for me to hold my bladder. I really had to go to the toilet (which I needed help with) but she was no where to be seen, I had an accident on the floor because she wasn't there to help me. When she finally appeared, she'd seen the accident, she started yelling at me, "how could you do this you silly girl" and said to the other kids "now kids you don't want to end up like Sheree". She then picked me up threw me on the bed and whacked me again, "you are not coming out". The physical, emotional abuse and bullying me to the other parents and children, the name calling, had gone on for months, a whole year. I tried telling my mum and dad, my grandmother even, she all had them brain washed that "she is saying it for attention". It was in the late 90's, not a lot of people knew what rights they had.

I had to endure this taument for 2 years until anyone believed me, or, until she screwed herself up. One day, I had an accident because she took me on an outing. When we got back to her house, she noticed, and this time, she threw me on the bed and hit me three times in the same spot (the leg). Naturally I cried, "if you don't shut your mouth you'll get another one". I'm not sure how it happened, but, she must have hit me too hard one day which left a welt mark on my leg which my mum and dad seen. All that time she was hitting me, she was hitting me hard enough that it would hurt but not too hard that it would leave a mark. And constantly threatened me if I "told on her", she was very clever to have me so scared as I was.

I'm now 20 years old and have been diagnosed with PTSD, amongst other things, this memory would also be the cause of it.

You have to wonder how on earth she ever became a "Regitered" home based babysitter, with no morals whatsoever. She's just lucky that it's illegal to name and shame!

This memory haunts me, I constantly get flash backs from those years, but, I will defeat it.

Never "Expect"

Hello my Fellow Bloggers and Blog Readers.
It's been a while aye?
I've been fairly busy fighting for my right as a human being, fighting for my place in society... Being independent, getting what I want, never relying on incompetent people.
I say- If you rely on others, it will never be done when or how you like.

If you did that, you'll be waiting for the rest of your life, DO IT YOURSELF, FIGURE IT OUT! You can do it, if you believe in yourself, others will believe in you! :)


I've had to think like that because I've always been screwed around by disability services, doctors and other "Government employed people", telling me that they'll do something but I'd wait months on end.      
If anyone EVER tells you they'll do something, never expect it to happen in a hurry.
Whenever someone says "I'll call you" or "I'll let you know", NEVER wait for them.
If you're in a meeting writing notes and someone doesn't "feel comfortable" about it, keep writing notes because anything they say, your notes will be able to back you up, that will be your evidence. But you must ALWAYS provide a date, location and peoples names that were in the meeting.

  

How Time Flies

Sunday Night had a segment about Trishna and Krishna (the 2 conjoined twins) and you get to see that they are still with Moira Kelly.

They also showed you who else lives with Moira, you will get a small glimpse of a girl named Momoza Keshteja, she has Arthrogryposis and she is originally from Albania.

I met Moira Kelly and Momoza when I was younger, Momosa was only young as well, she had just come over to Australia for procedures and she thought she was the only one with this disability, she felt alone.

One day I was almost rugby tackled by Moira at The RCH, she was extremely excited that she had spotted me, she knew that I had AMC because she saw my hands as I was walking. 
She was following us for a while (we thought she was stalking us lol), then she ran up in front of us and said "OH MY GOD'! "Do you have Arthrogryposis'?
I responded with a scared "Yes".
She said "oh this is perfect", "I have a young girl who has Arthrogryposis and I would absolutely love for her to meet you". "She feels that she is never going to improve and she could do with some inspiration".

So, we went to see her in Melton, Vic, where Moira had her large house, and I spent the whole day with her.
That was 10 years ago (Oh I feel old).

She is now 17, check out the link below :)
Click to view Video

On a Pedestal!

I was born with a disability and I have been through a lot all my life...
So because of that most of my family have and still are putting me up on that pedestal. 
All because I've lived a hard life they think that I need to be treated like royalty, but I don't want to be treated like that I hate it, I just wish they wouldn't do it.
And NO I'm NOT special, yeah I've put up with a lot but I don't want to be known as special, I would love to be known as the person who WENT through a lot but is just an average person!
Apart from being up on that pedestal, I hate it when the close family only remember my birthday and not my younger sisters, when they do that, it's like they're pretty much saying to my sister "oh yeah, happy birthday it's about a month late but you shouldn't have been born". I always get birthday cards early or on time and my sister will be lucky to get two cards (if any) and they are always a week or a month late. 

OR when for example, my partner does my hair and even when I mention what a good job he has done, I'm the only one who gets noticed, they never pass compliments to him.
If I'm in a picture with someone, I include them but I still get all the credit.
It just feels like the people in my life don't matter, all they see is me!

EVERYONE, PLEASE don't just stop and think about what you're doing! I don't want to be the only one who gets noticed, I DON'T want all the attention put on me, I'm JUST the girl with a disability, I just want to step down from being on that pedestal!!!  

Rion Paige Thompson

Rion Paige Thompson

                             

        

Rion Paige Thompson, we all know who she is. A contestant on Xfactor USA, she is a fantastic performer and a brilliant singer, with so much confidence, it puts me to shame haha! 

A 13 year old girl living with a physical disability called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. It is rare, yes, but she doesn't care, she wants the whole world to know how talented she is.
She lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her mum, where she has worked her magic for the locals, now, she will be performing for all people across the globe. 

On the 11th of September 2013, Rion performed Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" and she did it so beautifully that even judge Simon Cowell was struck by her talent, saying, " I think you're literally extraordinary. I really do." Now that is also rare. 

I can remember, my mum saying to me, "Sheree, you have to watch this Rion Paige girl who sung on Xfactor". Well, I didn't have to go far to watch her, nearly all of the statuses on my Facebook NewsFeeds were, "Rion Paige, the 13 year old Xfactor sensation" and below that was a video. I clicked on it and was AMAZED at what I was listening to. I think even Rion is amazed now that she is so popular.
I just went on YouTube and over 1.1 million people have watched this girls amazing talent, there is still more to come Rion.
People have already made a fan page on Twitter and Facebook AND her own nickname, "Rionsaur".

I have Arthrogryposis and like Rion, I have never and will never let my disability get the better of me!

Not only me but I think a lot of younger girls and especially people with disabilities are looking up to you right now. 
Everyone just remember its her voice that is the talent, don't let her disability mask it, she is just courageous enough to stand up on that stage in front of millions and give it all she's got!

In no more then 3 days you have managed to turn the heads of millions across the world.

Best of luck on your journey.
Sheree Clampit 
Xo

Disabled, OR Lazy?

Disabled car parks, they're handy, usually you don't need to worry about a parking time limit and they're close to the location.
You know, they're very convenient when you're in a hurry, aren't they?
Well as amazing as it sounds, disabled car parks are for people who are in wheelchairs and require the extra space, find it hard to walk long distances and SOME of the older generation.
Disabled car parks are for DISABLED PEOPLE, you are required to have a VALID Disabled Parking Permit and you must have it displayed when you park in a Disabled car park.

The Blog Review today is about who IS and who ISN'T allowed to park in a Disabled car park.
There are so many who park in Disabled car parks who DON'T have disabilities. Just because, what? They can't be bothered walking those extra metres to the shops, who think, "oh, I'll only be a couple of minutes". Those "couple of minutes" could have really helped someone else who needed it more.

When there are people like this, it makes it hard for others who are actually disabled because there are judgemental people who think, "oh you don't look disabled, you shouldn't have parked here".

Solution?
When you're about to park in a Disabled car park, just think, "oh, no I won't be lazy, I'll park somewhere else, another person might need this more than me".
It never hurt anyone to walk a few more minutes.
This way everyone will be happy, you won't get abused and the other person will be able to use the shopping car park without struggling.

If you would like to share your opinion, I'd be happy to read it.


   

Stare, Bully, Or, Ask?

This Blog Post is being written because of an incident that happened just the other day. A little boy pointed at me saying ''Mum, look'', and all the mother did was look at me with a smile and reply with a ''Yeah''.
This little boy was old enough to learn.
The only time this is accepted is when the child is no older than three years old.

Now, I wasn't entirely sure if she was being nice to me, embarrassed by her son, or she doesn't know how to teach her son manners when he sees a person with a disability.
If she was being nice to me that's fine!


So the whole reason for this Blog Post is, what would you ask, do when you see a disabled person?

Quite frankly, us disabled people don't mind it if others ask questions, it just needs to be in the right context.
You can ask questions without being rude. There is absolutely no excuse for children/ adults being rude, there are even some children with disabilities that are rude to others and they get away with it because the parents say something like ''oh they have a learning disability they can't help it'', or ''they have a high case of Autism, they don't understand''.
Even adults are rude, when they go out of their way to get in view so they can stare at someone "Different". 
That is UNACCEPTABLE, I apologise if the next thing I say offends anyone but it has to be said.
One day your child all grown up might go too far and break the law, you can't say to the law ''oh they have Autism, they don't understand'', they will NOT care. If not that, something worse could happen. They could say the wrong thing to the wrong person and end up six feet under, now, your excuses for your child can't take that situation back.        
I'm not telling you how to raise your child, but if you're a parent with constant excuses for them, you ARE setting them up for FAILURE. If you teach them that its rude to stare, instead, ask the person a question nicely then you could be keeping them from getting in trouble.

Disabled people/"Normal" people would like it much better if questions were asked.

Would you Stare?
There are two types of staring, good and bad. If you stare while you're walking at the same time, that kind of body language is you trying to say ''Woah, look at that'', so please don't do that.
Then there is good staring, when you look, smile and look away.

Being Obvious?
Being obvious is when you're whispering into someones ear and looking directly at the other person, they know you're talking about them, so why try and hide?

And theres just being plain rude...
When people are sitting there calling another person horrible names, making sure they are talking loud enough. Everyone has feelings!

If you are curious to know why a person is the way they are, just ask but just make sure you ask the question in the context, thats all you need to do.
We love questions AND we love giving answers.

The reason why I've said all that, is because my parents knew that even though I have a disability, I should be treated like everyone else and to be taught right from wrong, I've been through a lot but I know that being rude to other will get you hurt! 

To the positives...
Its a great feeling when someone inspires others to do something in their lives. When people give others compliments when they have achieved so much and deserve everything great in their path.
I absolutely love those people who have been through so much but are still so strong.
When someone makes another person happy.   

Just one compliment to someone could change their whole day.           

I hope you have enjoyed reading and I welcome all haters to express their opinions...