This isn't really a question but a little advice and a request from parents?

Question

I was born with Spina Bifida. I am 23 years old. I have had give or take like 20 surgeries and I am in a wheelchair. My request to parents is to please get your kids involved as much as possible with things that they aren't familuar with. If you are at the store and your child see's someone in a chair or something and they question it, don't answer it, please take the time to say something like "I dont know lets go say hi and see if they can answer your question" Most of us special needs kids or adults are very kind people and patient. WE are often lost so trying to help a child understand that not everything is as they seem to always appear. The more you get a child involved the more it they become familur and not afraid and when they are adults they will contiue that. It will teach your child, patience, understanding, acceptacnce and respect.

I am so glad that parents do get involved. Keep it up. Will you please star this question to get more parents to read it please.

Answer 1

Thank you for the pointer. My husband and I teach youth at our church and one of our other teachers is a young man of about 25 how has a muscluar desease (I can't say it much less say it) and Andrew is so great for those kids. He teaches 10th grade boys and they love him. I love having my daughter near him for the very reasons you stated. Thanks again.

Answer 2

My daughter is 6 and is always asking questions about what she sees. However, she is exceedingly shy around strangers, so going up to someone would not work for her. However, I have grown up with a sister who has moderate MR, and her classmates, who have had probably most all the types of DD. If I don't know the answer, I know where to look it up, and we will spend some time doing "basic research" to help her learn more about other people and their differences. I also work with DD adults, so she has met some individuals with disabilities, and once she gets past being shy, she is quite the little friend to them.

Answer 3

Thank you for the wonderful advice. I have a nephew, now 8 years old who was born with a partial arm and a niece with Cerebral Palsy who is 3. The more our children are educated about the differences in people (not just disabilities) the more tolerant we will become.

Answer 4

I am so sorry about your situation. The thought of having a child as a person about being in a wheel chair never crossed my mind. How would you go about that in a non envasive manner? I would never want to hurt anothers feelings but I would never have thought about asking a question like that

Answer 5

This is actually something I started doing. My 7 year old son Steven is very observant and curious. Whenever he see someone who is disabled, older, in a wheelchair etc, especially in a store, he questions them. I usually tell him to go ask if they need some help and then politely ask, " Sir/Miss, If you don't mind me asking,______________?" He needs to learn to talk to adults and respect others. I'm big on respect in my house, especially since I've grown up around learning disabilities and my son has one. Thank you for reassuring me that this is a good idea and God Bless.
Best wishes =]

Answer 6

that's going to be very easy for my husband and i....

see were both disabled and we have a lot of friends who are disabled to.
both my husband and i have a learning disability and mild mr. i myself have a genetic disorder which i have a 50/50% chance of passing it on to my children (neurofibromatosis) we have one son right now. and when he does get older he will be around a lot of people who are different and if my son was to ask me why that person talks different or why that person is in a wheelchair or why that person is using a cane or anything else that he might ask..
the answer i would have for him is god made everyone different but were still all the same inside. and if he was to ask me what is wrong with that person. then we both would walk up that person and i would say " excuse me sir/mam my son has asked me a question and wants to know whats wrong" and like you said most of us special needs are nice and understanding when it comes to children asking questions but i hope to god my son does not come to a rude person.

Answer 7

I tell you what If I had this kind of daily bulllshit drama no way in helll would I live near by. We would move a state away. And we would keep our calls and emails to a bear minimum. Keeping the drama down to zero. Soo much of this is sooo petty. I'ts just incomprehensible to me. All I can say is you and her move away. Lord.

Answer 8

Thanks for the great idea. I think people are very aware of wanting to make people with differences feel that they are jsut like everybody else--that is why people look away or tell their kids not to stare. It is nice to hear that it is ok to recognise and celebrate theses differences. Do you think everyone in a chair feels this way? I would hate to hurt someone's feelings.

Answer 9

This is a place for asking questions, not posting your opinion. Just because you have Spina Bfiida and people feel sorry for you doesn't mean you should go ahead and just give everyone else advice. Answer someone's question with your advice, or put your advice in another forum.

Answer 10

My 4 year old son is very inquisitive, and I don't usually stop him. He will go up to people in wheel chairs and ask "Why don't your legs work?" I usually let the person answer and don't say anything because I don't know what to do. Thank you for your post - it helps me know how to let him behave.

Answer 11

here is what i`ve always told my kids :
kids in wheel chairs are kissed by god
they are special in their own way .. they may look and act different but they can do thing just like everybody else
they are god`s gift to the world
Stevie wonder is a good example, he can`t see, but god gave him a talent with music the world will never forget........