Supernanny episode on deaf parents opens our eyes and ears

October 10, 11:08 AMParenting ExaminerKaren Deerwester

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American Sign Language for "I love you"

Tonight's Supernanny Episode about the struggles of deaf parents raising hearing children will provoke an important discussion about families and parenting.  Angele Sionna's Examiner article earlier today about this show cites research that 90% of deaf parents have hearing children. 

That is astounding to me as an educator and as someone who does workshops on parent-school communication.  How often have we approached deaf parents of hearing children without understanding or sensitivity for their particular needs?  If you want to know a little bit more than you do now, read this amazing piece from My Journey into Deafhood by LaRonda Zupp that celebrates parenting successes of deaf parents.  And watch this amazing video called "An Equal Communication Access" ASL Poem also by LaRonda Zupp. 

Thank you LaRonda for helping us learn better ways to speak and better ways to listen.  I remember the heart-wrenching scene in the movie, The Diving Bell and Butterfly, when the speech therapist cannot hear Jean-Dominique Bauby because he turns away from his face.  I hope we as teachers never lose patience with a child who tugs at our clothes to get our attention on the first day of school because that's how she gets her parent's attention at home.  I hope we always know a parent's strengths before we criticize their parenting.  And I hope we can spread LaRonda's message to: CONVINCE - GUIDE - EDUCATE.