Deafness vs hearing

I thought that this documentry was actually very interesting.  My aunt and uncle are deaf so I actually have a deep connection to what the family was going through.  While watching the movie I was sympathetic to what the family was going through and the feelings they were having.  Deaf culture is a thing that most hearing people are not exposed to, so that is why it is so hard to understand to most. I, being in the family of a deaf person am somewhat exposed to this culture. This helps me understand why the family of Heather was so on the fence about putting  the cochlear implant.  This cochlear implant would most likely take Heather out of the deaf culture.  Sure, she may be somewhat involved because her family is part of  the culture, but it would not be the same as if she was compeltely deaf herself.  Her having a family that is all deaf would also really have an effect on her hearing life and speech life. So what is really best for Heather?  I personally believe that if I was deaf myself and had a deaf daughter I would not want her to get the implant. . If I and my husband were deaf I would raise our daughter deaf and put her in the best deaf school in the country.  The only way I would  change my mind was if she asked to get it(which is what Heather did).  I would inform her on exactly what happens when they put the implant in and tell her the chances of it working .  I feel as if that would be the best choice.  You really just need to put yerself in the shoes of a deaf person.  Having a daughter born deaf and putting an implant in before they have an opinon is just a bad choice and  could affect the realtionship of the parents and child.

I believe that it is a competely different situation if the parents are NOT deaf.  If they are not deaf I see nothing wrong with getting the cochlear implant for the child. Being in the world deaf is a hard thing.  When my aunt was younger she had to deal with a lot of hatred and abuse.  Teachers called her names and treated her as if she was nothing.  Even though it is 50 years later I would never wish anything like that on to a child and especially not my child. I would get the cochlear implant as soon as possible and have my child involved in many speech and hearing classes.  I want the best life for my child, and I believe that would be the best choice.~