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Programme on BBC1 - "Children with a Difference"

27 replies

Chocol8 · 15/09/2004 07:40

I just noticed this programme - it's about 4 adopted children who have DS.

It's on BBC1 tomorrow night at 10.35 - 11.35.

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Original poster
Chocol8 · 15/09/2004 07:41

Sorry, I don't know what day it is..it's tonight - Wednesday!

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fio2 · 15/09/2004 09:08

I have seen this lady in the news before, isnt she in the midlands? i am sure I seen about it on central news

sorry useless piece of information!

onlyjoking9329 · 15/09/2004 19:41

i think i have seen her on central news too , i will watch it, there is a programme on bbc2 next tues about a family with 4 or 5 children with additional needs

Dingle · 15/09/2004 19:50

Saw this advertised late last night, must try to watch it. Is this a repeat? I am wondering if it will give positive vibes or whether I will need my tissues at hand. Knowing me a bit of both.

onlyjoking9329 · 15/09/2004 19:55

i don't think it's a repeat, have the tissues handy anyway, i will.

Original poster
Chocol8 · 15/09/2004 21:34

It doesn't say it's a repeat in the Radio Times.

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Thomcat · 15/09/2004 23:49

Did you see it? What did you think?
All the kids were great weren't they. Felt a bit saddened that 'mummy Alex' kept saying things like 'I see nice elderly couples and they've still got their down's', meaning they still have their children, with DS, living with them. Things like that got me a bit. Watching Lesley in the flat on her own made me happy and sad at the same time. Otto ws great, what a scream, he really made me laugh. Little baby Hope was beautiful, made me really broody, watching her mum trying to give her that bottle and she so wasn't bothered, ohhh I could almost smell that lovley milky smell!
Good programme, cried lots, felt a bit scared now anf then, a bit hurt and upset but generally felt uplifted by it. It was Alex and the other mother who terminated her pregnancy that made me ry but hey all in all an enjoyable programme. W
How about you girls?

Dingle · 15/09/2004 23:54

Mixed emotions, feeling rather judgemental towards the attitudes of some of the mothers featured- but then again I would do, wouldn't I !!
Must admit, I did get a little tearful a few times-nothing new there

Thomcat · 15/09/2004 23:59

Yes it was hard to listen to 'mummy alex', most of what she said pissed me off but I tried not to jusdge her, she would have irritated me whatever the subject. It was 'he had pictures of my family on his wall' and I thought he is your family, you are his family, you silly cow. That and not referring to people with DS as people at all, very offensive but then she was very stupid so....

Dingle · 16/09/2004 00:06

The adoptive mum, Lucy(?) said you were allowed to laugh at Otto, because Otto is Funny! Wasn't she right, what a great character!
It made me all emotional when you saw baby Hope, all my memories of our early days came flooding back.
On the other end of the scale, it was fab to see Lesley, setting up in her flat, but even that made me and dh think of what will be in years to come. Can't deal with that now, far too much going on in our lives.

Thomcat · 16/09/2004 00:16

Yes Lesley left me with very mixed emotions. I wnted to cry when she was sat on the edge of her sofa watching tlly, all on her own. I was so happy for her but ws worried she'd be lonely and wondered if she'd ever share that home with anyone. She seemed so sad didn't she, maybe it was shyness but she had a sad look that pulled at my heart strings. Otto on the other hand just cracked me up. When lucy was saying what would I look like if I made those noises on the bus and he said, quick as a flash 'f*ing stupid'! he was funny a lot of the time, funny and bright, I liked him a lot.

Off to bed now, more later.

geekgrrl · 16/09/2004 06:57

I recorded it and will watch it today - can't wait, sounds really interesting.

heartinthecountry · 16/09/2004 08:56

Bollocks - missed it. Really wanted to see it too .

KangaMummy · 16/09/2004 09:26

My bf has adopted 3 DS children.

They have their own DD1,DS1 grown up and are grandparents x2

then adopted DS2, DD2, and DD3.

Sadly DD2 died after heart op.

BF DS2 is 12 years and is just like Otto in character always singing dancing making jokes. I said to DH if we closed our eyes it could be bf DS2. When he was doing THE OLD BAMBOO DANCE from CHITTY LOL

I thought it was a brill programme. I liked the way it showed Otto and Lesley at work and her moving into a flat and I really hope it works out for her. It showed the country that DS children can go to work and be independant. Depending on their individual needs.

cazzybabs · 16/09/2004 09:33

I thought Lucy was amazing -the way she explainned everything to Otto and to cope with 4 boys as a single mum. I also didn't like Otto's mum - but at least she was brave enough to appear in the programme, but even she is didn't wamt Otto to live with her she could have found out about him. Anyway - I really like programmes like that that make me thing and release how ignorant I am about other people.

blossomhill · 16/09/2004 09:59

Amazing and very inspirational. I was so tired last night but had to stay up to watch it.
The attitudes of some of the people was sad and offensive. I didn't like it when Otto's birth mum referred to the children as "downs", very offensive in my eyes and ignorant. Every child is individual and I hate labelling of any kind.
Lesley was great, a real character and it was great to see her living an almost independant life.

Marina · 16/09/2004 10:54

I found Otto's birth mother's attitudes in general and towards her son unfathomable and deeply upsetting. I thought Lucy's rationale for taking on her four sons was remarkable and that they were very lucky boys to have someone like her in their lives. What an amazing woman. I'm so glad I watched this documentary - we declined all invasive testing for our babies because we did not feel a DS diagnosis would be an issue. Baby Hope, surrounded with love and carefully prepared for, made me blub. I'd like to think we could have coped as well as her family did in that situation.
And seeing Lesley holding down an office job after her poor parents were told she'd be a "vegetable" (FFS) was just lovely. I was assuming and hoping she was just a little shy about being filmed...not a problem for Otto!

geekgrrl · 16/09/2004 14:04

ok, just finished watching it - what a great, positive documentary. Otto's mum - mmh what an offensive person but it's all been said already on this thread. And she certainly looked like the ignorant and closed-minded in the programme. Otto was such a scream - made me laugh out loud, what a guy. And wasn't baby Raphael just adorable? Their mum is just amazing - I struggle with three children, and there she is with four, on her own, and they have all turned out to be wonderful people in their own right. I loved how completely open she was with Otto.
Lesley was also really inspirational, it was lovely to see the footage of her living her daily life - working, getting her hair done - with confidence and self-assurance.

Original poster
Chocol8 · 16/09/2004 18:38

I have just read what you've all said and can't believe that I missed it! Got in late from school meeting and it went clean out of my head...i am so upset. One of my colleagues saw it and raved about it. Does anyone have it on video please? x

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suedonim · 16/09/2004 18:43

I actually felt a bit sorry for Otto's mum. I got the impression that when she gave birth to him she had been misinformed about DS and what it was likely to entail - she mentioned wheelchairs. I thought she seemed wistful and doubtful/guilty over whether she'd done the right thing. Did anyone else notice the lack of dad's views, apart from Lesley's dad? It would have been interesting to hear from them as well.

geogteach · 16/09/2004 19:54

Haven't watched yet but got it on tape. Otto, Titus and Raphael were before my DS for and audiology appointment on Tuesday, so it was slightly bizarre to see they were on telly the next day. Otto definately did his best to keep everyone in the waiting room entertained!

onlyjoking9329 · 16/09/2004 20:03

chocol8, i did tape it but have borrowed it to lady up the road who didnt see it either, if i get it back soon, i will let you know.

jasper · 16/09/2004 20:13

suedonnim I noticed the lack of dads too. Sad really

tamum · 16/09/2004 20:32

Oh, I thought Otto's mum referring to people just as "Down's" was just so offensive I couldn't believe no-one had spoken to her about it. I thought she was brave to be on the documentary but her attitude to Otto was really sad. I couldn't imagine how she could distance herself from him to that extent, although I guess she was trying a bit.

Lesley, I just wanted to hug. She was so lovely, and I thought her parents were very brave to be encouraging her independence like that when they must have wanted to keep her with them really. The adoptive mum was great, she had such a fantastic attitude. The younger blonde boy was such a sweetie too- he was non-verbal, I think, but such a good sense of humour. I liked Otto's friend too.

I thought it was a great program all round really, pretty well-balanced with all the different attitudes and themes

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Chocol8 · 17/09/2004 19:11

Oh, thank you Onlyjoking, that would be great...considering that I posted it here I can't believe I forgot! x

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