Page 12 - Mainstreamer Volume 1 Issue 2 Feb 2023

CRITICAL THOUGHT
A Sibling’s Perspective on Supporting a Sister With

Learning Disabilities

Faridah
Nordin

he is 45. But seriously, it seems like only a sibling, my younger sister. She is my confidante,
yesterday that I had to pick up a cover from my buddy, my better half. She is the youngest of
Sbeneath the dining table. It was a metal the three of us. She has learning difficulties, also
pencil case. Why me? Why was it that I had to help known as learning disability, and some would call
her with her homework? Homework - that was her intellectually disabled.
impossible to persuade her to do; homework that I
had to finish for her. In November 1977, Sarinah was born through
C-section in Singapore. My late mother told me
She is 45. Who would have thought she would that doctors told her Sarinah did not appear to be
be able to possibly perform her 5 obligatory in the proper position to be delivered normally.
prayers. Whatever she does will come to a halt the An emergency C-section was necessary. Both my
instant she hears the call to prayer (adhan). Fasting mother and Sarinah were fine, as is the case with
during Ramadhan is never a problem. all C-sections. She was a big baby. Everything
about her was normal. Allah has made everything
At 45, she is capable of handling any online so perfectly for her.
games. Yes, you read it correctly, online games!
She easily downloads and uninstalls them from her
smartphone. She is an expert (although I am not) “
at Minecraft, a terrific swimmer, and was once a
sprinter. Her greatest trait is that she never gets To achieve this, the government had
tired of entertaining children. She can plan out an to work hard to transform Singapore
entire day’s worth of game. Kids love her.. from a third world country to a

So, what is the big deal, you might ask? Does it bustling first world country. As a
not seem perfectly normal? No, not at all. nation with only people as a natural

At 45, she has not idea how to handle money, resource, the government would be
such as in a buy-or-sell situation. She does not wise to empower the nation through
even understand the concept of money and education.”
cents. She struggles with reading, much alone
comprehending what she reads. She also has
difficulty telling the time. Verbal instructions must It was not until a week ago that I came across
be repeated several times before she understands some information about learning difficulties that
what you have said. Peer communication is I had never known before. I had always assumed
impossible. She would be at a complete loss. If you that persons with learning difficulties had to learn
keep reminding her of her chores, she becomes differently. If we complete a math operation in
terribly annoyed. She is feisty in both good and 3 steps, they complete it in 10. It is as simple as
bad ways. The good ones you would be in awe of, that, I thought. What I learned was mind-blowing
and the bad ones, well, let’s just say - run! because it became very evident why Sarinah
understands so many different things and struggles
Well, who exactly is she? She is none other than with others. .

11 Vol. 01, Issue 2 | February 2023