Switched at Birth and our children

Phillips

Phillips

Lets ride horses!
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I just want to make sure that our kids aware about Switched at Birth program.

I told my daughter (will be 12 yrs old) to watched program last night. Her express face concerned. I asked her, what's a matter? She said she overheard some kids (at Skiing kids club) said that Switched at Birth are stupid and mental retard! :squint: In my mind and not show my face that I was dumbfounded about it.

In addition, she said why Emmett said I hate being deaf, and I hate hearing people! We had long good talk, and now she understood clearly! So Please share with kids.

:ty:
 
I watch Switched at Birth alot...(not my kind of show but I enjoy the signing and Deaf Culture aspect). I wondered what Deaf people thought of this show...and if they agree with some of the things that are going on.
 
Phillips said:
I just want to make sure that our kids aware about Switched at Birth program.

I told my daughter (will be 12 yrs old) to watched program last night. Her express face concerned. I asked her, what's a matter? She said she overheard some kids (at Skiing kids club) said that Switched at Birth are stupid and mental retard! :squint: In my mind and not show my face that I was dumbfounded about it.

In addition, she said why Emmett said I hate being deaf, and I hate hearing people! We had long good talk, and now she understood clearly! So Please share with kids.

:ty:
Click to expand...

Shows you how compassionate some of the kids are being. :roll:
 
Teenagers say EVERYTHING is stupid or retarded, or gay. That's normal teenage behavior. They use the same words for Justin Beiber, any music from more than 5 years ago, any clothes their parents wear,....
 
many do about many things, but there's too concerns I have with it - one is the equation of "stupid" with words like "gay" or "retarded" and the other is that it's an ignorant and mean-spirited thing for the the kids to say...and how reinforces the concerns with bullying toward deaf kids-
 
There's a difference between not liking a show that includes deaf people (maybe you think all teenage drama shows are stupid... or think the idea of the two girls being switchd and their families not noticing is stupid... etc) and not liking deaf people.
 
there -can -be a difference - but there are also real problems with extensive bullying of deaf kids especially in mainstream environments - and views like Phillips mentioned illustrate that.
 
While bullying is a problem, I'm not sure that the show is related. If hearing people were put in place of the deaf people in the show, and deafness was not part of the plot at all, would those students still say the show sucked? If so... then there is no disrespect aimed at deafness, just at the show itself.
 
JanatheShort said:
Teenagers say EVERYTHING is stupid or retarded, or gay. That's normal teenage behavior. They use the same words for Justin Beiber, any music from more than 5 years ago, any clothes their parents wear,....
Click to expand...

I never used the word, "retarded" or "mentally retarded" to describe something as being stupid. In fact, children should be strongly discouraged from using these terms as insults.
 
I agree, Banjo-

Jana, the students might think it sucked either way, but the reality is that based on the experiences deaf people have described, and what I've seen, the deaf plot aspect may very well increase the "suckage" part in the minds of many teens.
 
I enjoy watching the show and look forward to seeing each new episode. Yes, it's a fictional tv show but they do use real life examples of issues deaf people deal with and I appreciate that.

Not sure i agree with the 'suckage' factor. If this show gets people talking, then that matters!
 
JanatheShort said:
Teenagers say EVERYTHING is stupid or retarded, or gay. That's normal teenage behavior. They use the same words for Justin Beiber, any music from more than 5 years ago, any clothes their parents wear,....
Click to expand...

It may be 'normal,' but it should not be normative. It's unacceptable.
 
no, I'm not meaning I think it sucks, saying that I think that it could be likely that part of why some teens think it sucks is because THEY equate deafness/ASL with "this is stupid" or "this sucks"
 
I'm not saying it sucks... I watch it. I'm just saying that the things the teenagers are saying about the show are the same things they say about anything that doesn't capture their attention or isn't their style. Not right, of course, but that's why they say about everything... and the reason why you see campaigns out there to encourage people to stop using "gay" and "retarded" as insults.

It doesn't mean they hate anything deaf... maybe some do, who knows, but to just say that because someone doesn't like show means they don't like deaf people is kind of jumping to a conclusion.

It may just mean they don't like that type of plot, or those characters, etc. Maybe they would rather be watching horror movies, or comedies... maybe they don't think Emmett or Bay's brother are cute... who knows.
 
I guess what I'm getting at is the fact that there are people who are cruel specifically because someone is deaf - and that transfers from schools to many different situations.

I do enjoy the show too.
 
The show is a bit simple, it is true.

I am disappointed as I think the producers missed a chance at making something really huge and educational.

The issues of the deaf and between the hearing and deaf are barely touched :(

How come Daphne communicate so well with the hearing??????
She pointed to her ears and said "nothing" - yet she has no problem understanding everything, so, oh please.

The whole movie, to me this is not the realistic representation of what to be deaf and HoH is.


Fuzzy
 
Audiofuzzy said:
The show is a bit simple, it is true.

I am disappointed as I think the producers missed a chance at making something really huge and educational.
Fuzzy
Click to expand...

Thing is, if it were to be completely realistic and as an educational approach, it'd fall more along the lines of a documentary and you know how those go.
Probably not many people would be interested in watching it. Who wants to see a hearing/deaf person clarifying information over each time something was not understood? Nobody wants to spend much time watching someone ask someone to repeat something either. Bay makes learning sign look easy.

It is made as a drama so it can at least earn revenue to keep it going. Matlin gets paid to entertain, deaf education probably not so much. I would imagine the same goes for Beardy.

The show being able to bring out some common themes in deaf culture is a plus, it is something that at the least gets the ball rolling.
 
I have/had concerns with the show too along the lines of realistic potrayal too but I think the whole thing really is meant to be a teen drama geared toward hearing with a bit of "deaf" thrown in to capture more people's attention. Now that in itself is an issue too but I guess my point is, the influential people in the network want to entertain, so that's what they're doing.
 
He signed " Hate " fingers ( serious hate ) It was wrong signing...

Should use thumbs hate from the chin, it is very common for frustration when you expressed your inner feeling about the Hearing community.
 
Phillips said:
I just want to make sure that our kids aware about Switched at Birth program.

I told my daughter (will be 12 yrs old) to watched program last night. Her express face concerned. I asked her, what's a matter? She said she overheard some kids (at Skiing kids club) said that Switched at Birth are stupid and mental retard! :squint: In my mind and not show my face that I was dumbfounded about it.

In addition, she said why Emmett said I hate being deaf, and I hate hearing people! We had long good talk, and now she understood clearly! So Please share with kids.

:ty:
Click to expand...

Glad you brought it up. I have not seen it yet. who knows one day i will sit down and watch it. BUT glad you told me now. so i would be aware for my kids and kids schools or friends.

I had good talks with my kids couples of months ago about my deafness. I d love to watch it but haven't around to it yet. :roll:

thanks for the heads up!
 
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