Today’s thought jumble is caused by Katie Price (also known as ‘Jordan’) parading her son on TV and his (accurate) description of bullies.

For those of you who haven’t been subjected to years of this woman in magazines  and newspapers, and also TV, Katie Price started as a ‘glamour model’ (her modeling name was Jordan) and has morphed into a very successful business woman.  She has done exceptionally well for herself. At 23, she had a son by a bit of an a-hole called Dwight Yorke.  He was a big name in football at the time.  I don’t know if he still is.  My dislike of football is as big as my dislike of peas.  Harvey was born blind.  He has also been diagnosed with Prader Willi Syndrome, Autism and ADHD.

I have an autistic nephew.  A very good friend of mine has a son who has Asperger and ADHD.  A family friends son has Prader Willi Syndrome.  I know about these disabilities (is that the right word?  I am not known for my PC skills, and mean no offence by my use of that word.) and how it effects not only the child, but the parents and other siblings.  I know the effect it has on friends too.  Admittedly it’s no way near as much of a strain, but it still does effect them.

How on earth Katie Price has managed to be a mother to Harvey, grow a number of successful businesses, have 3 marriages, 2 divorces and 4 children, I will never know.  Whatever I may or may not think of her, I take my hat of to her for that.  She has done a remarkable job.  I don’t care how many nannies and specialist caregivers she has had, or how much support from her family.  Dealing with just one of those things is unbelievably hard, let alone the lot of them. Just because she has the financial means to have the best of everything for her son, her heart and her emotions are that of any other mother.

As far as I can see (which isn’t far because I tend to avoid any stories about her), Harvey is a credit to her.  The way he looks at her tells you more than words ever will.

Now that’s all explained for you, here is my dilemma with the current situation.

I understand her drive to educate people on things, especially Prader Willi which is so rare that many people are completely ignorant of it.  Its symptoms are vast.  The two main ones being mental developmental delay, and over-eating.  Yes, over eating.  No, it can’t be helped.  No, there is no cure.  It is faulty wiring which makes the sufferer feel like they are starving ALL THE TIME.  Insatiable hunger, in the literal sense of the word.  Can you imagine the mental torture?  Horrendous.

I understand why she thought bringing Harvey onto the TV to show the world what a lovely, sweet and happy boy he is, would be a good idea.  It was.  He looks like such a sweetheart.  I just want to give him the biggest hug!

What I don’t understand is how a boy with learning and developmental delays and who is blind, understand so much about cyberbullies.  How would he know what they were saying about him unless someone is telling him?  Why would you tell someone something like that?  It’s just all too horrific to contemplate.  Unless I have missed something?  Or, he just recognised the word “bullies”.  I really hope that’s the case.

Which brings me to my second point.  Why does a boy with the aforementioned delays know the word “cunt” and not only that, but use it such perfect context?  Was he taught it in advance of the show in order to generate more publicity?  Is it a word bandied around in house regularly?  I really hope not.

It doesn’t matter that he used it perfectly.  Bullies are complete cunts.  I had my fair share of them at high school.  I wish I had heard of that word and had used it on them too.  But it’s really not an appropriate word for a 13yr old to be using so freely in a sentence.

Maybe I am too old fashioned.  Maybe this is how the world is changing and because I don’t have a teenager, I don’t know.  Maybe it’s not the world and it’s just England.  I really don’t know anymore.  I just know that I don’t agree with it and I am sad that it feels like Katie Price was using her son to garner press attention, not to raise awareness for his conditions.

For more information on the various syndromes listed above, please see the following links:

Prader Willi Syndrome: https://www.pwsa.co.uk/

Autism: http://www.autism.org.uk/

Aspergers: http://www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk/what_as.htm

ADHD: http://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/