While I was pregnant and into the first weeks after I became a mama, I rode a rollercoaster of frustration, adaptations, and a reckoning of what my son’s life would look like with a mama who has a disability. Specifically me, with my wheelchair. My conclusion: my disability is an asset and will result in a stronger boy – mentally, emotionally, and probably physically. But what about other kids?
More times than I’ve counted, I’ve been in a situation where a kid sees my wheelchair, stares at it, and/or says something to their parent along the lines of “Why is she sitting down?” “She’s hurt,” or “Why can’t she walk?” They’re kids, so they don’t whisper, and I hear it loud and clear.
Jump into this scenario with me. As the parent, what do you do?
Scold him or her with something like “Quiet! Don’t let her hear you- she might be sensitive.”
Or make it a teaching moment: first, ask if the person is okay with talking about it (I’ve never not been), then open a conversation. For your kid, that alone – the opportunity for conversation – begins the process of breaking down the stigma that surrounds people with disabilities; often, the ability to match a face to a disability pushes it further out of foreign territory, even just a little. Breaking down that stigma, especially at a young age, teaches a solid lesson of respect and empathy toward people with a disability, or anyone who just goes through life a little differently.