That's not nice . . .

[Eggs4Sale]

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You may want to just get honest with her, and tell her that he son's disabilities do not bother you in the least and you would really love to get to know her and her child better. My mom did that with the mom of a Down's child and she wound up having a great relationship with both.

You could invite them over for snacks and a game.

 

[ChicknJ]

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you are the kindest person I have met on here. You and your kids could have a great evening babysitting for her. Thank you for showing us another way to project a healthy thoughtful approach , and seriously, is there anything cuter than a little kid wearing glasses?

 

[truckerswife]

My son is 19 and has CP. Not so many questions and comments now but we just KNOW that we when we go swimming or to a restaurant people will stare. We have just gotten used to it and the flip side is the majority people are very kind and accomadating. They hold open doors, etc. He had ana awesome experience in HS , never once said any one made fun of him (elementary kids however can be cruel!)

The one thing that does does bother me is when we go places people will speak to me instead of him. Ask what his name is, how old ,etc. I think the wheelchair is intimating to some.

But, little kids will blurt out just what they see.....it is human nature...my own kids have done it...we just dont let ruin our day.

 

[19Dawn76]

I'm not as upset as I was last night . I guess that ladies intentions were not bad. Sometimes things just have a way of hitting me in a sensative area. Now I know why people are always pushing those support groups. Ranting is a very effective tool in preventing public acts of violence!

 

[SarahFair]

See...

I always have the problem whether to look or not.
I hear people say 'they wont even look at you!' or 'they stare at you like you are a demon'

When I notice someone with a hanidcap Ill look. Then Ill take a deeper look to further understand why they are like that. Its not like I am rudely staring.. Just trying to understand what they are going through..
Is that rude?

 

[19Dawn76]

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I know what you mean. I had a friend in high school and her Dad was in a wheelchair and I noticed people avoided speaking TO him. Sometimes people would pat his head! This was a man that ran his own business and because he could not walk was sometimes treated as if he wsn't a person worth speaking to.

 

[EweSheep]

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YES YES YES!!!! The kid knows that he/she has a disability. It isn't a secret. They would welcome ANYONE that would take the time to want to know them as a person instead of an oddity.

My best friend in elementary school (1960's) had a hearing aid. Back then, they were big boxes on your chest with wires everywhere. I loved that girl - her name was Alice and she was so much fun!!! I was the fat kid, so when I approached her, she knew we needed each other. I will never forget that child.

I certainly can relate to Alice, I was one of those child with the box hearing aid with harness. Those things are so uncomfortable and doing sommersaults or PE were disasterous because they fall out of their pockets. Sure I had people say ooooooooh that poor child and I was lapping it all up for attention. I must be special! However the teasings were horrible from classmates who thought an "odd" bird is a perfect target for their low self esteems!

 

[Dar]

reading this i am sickened at some people...but in other ways I am so proud of my children and its reaffirming my choice to drive a stinking school bus while my children were young.

right from the time my children were in a forward facing car seat my kids have been on a school bus and for many of those years \\i was driving a wheelchair school bus.

My DD boarded her bus this year and because we are in the country and she is in a french immersion school she is the only one out here so they send what ever bus is closest... anyway... there is a girl with cp on the bus she is non verbal and the first thing my DD did was go and sit in the seat that was in front of her and ask her, her name and when the computer spoke for her my DD was like wow cool computer it talks and according to the driver the 2 girls were chatting the whole trip. Its just to bad the girls dont go to the same school

 

[cat]

My daughter has a hearing disability. Her form teacher, despite being told this at the beginning of the term, asked her in front of the whole class was she deaf or just stupid. Apparently he had called her name for registration and because everyone in the room was being noisy she could not hear him.

We were living abroad at the time and she was in a military school and had to keep the same form tutor for 2 years. She regularly came home upset because he refused to look at her when he spoke so she could lip read and made fun of her when she got things wrong. It was all I could do to stop my dh signing out his weapon and having a 'talk' with him. Sometimes that's the downfall of overseas postings.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I was raised to be polite and accommodating - a nice young lady. I was raised to ignore rude comments. And, you know what? That only gives people permission to behave poorly!

My DD has had some struggles with teasing. I have given her permission to give other kids a piece of her mind. Even if she just tells them that their comment is "mean", it makes her feel better. I would not hesitate, at all, in calling out another adult on behalf of a child.