What follows is a presentation the maiden made to a FASD Caregiver Group last week. Her first official speaking presentation about growing up with FASD. In her own words.
SCHOOL WAS HORRIBLE, FROM GRADE 2 AND ON ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGH SCHOOL.
First, I started by acting out in elementary school, because I was overwhelmed, and teachers and other kids thought I was misbehaving. When really I was just not catching up with the others my age, my mind was growing at a very slow pace.
I WAS BULLIED FOR BEING DIFFERENT
But then, in older grades, like 6 and 7, I was bullied a lot for being different, because the other students didn’t understand me, and thought it was cool and ok to do what they did. They would get me all upset, then run at the last minute when a teacher would be called over, so then I would be the one in trouble because the teachers would see me all upset but the person who caused me to do this would be long gone, which made me even more upset because it then started getting worse as time went on instead of getting better.
KEEPING FRIENDS WAS HARD
The thing is, I WAS able to make friends, that wasn’t the problem, the problem would be keeping those friends, because once the friends saw what happens when I get upset. They didn’t understand what was going on, but they would want to help but can’t so then they would end up not hanging out with me anymore because of this.
But now, that I am getting older, people are more understanding that what I am still doing is not what girls my age would do. They are trying to get me the help I need. Because they now know that it’s not me just doing things on purpose, I am doing these things because I don’t know what else to do to change it and get better.
Click here for the full presentation!