SPINA BIFIDA WALKING - "WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT BOY?"

[@brookelilley-pierce7604]

Very enlightening Jonny, thanks for sharing. Personally, I've always thought Joy was a pretty special lady. Please don't judge us because we do shop at No Frills.

[@ChasetheJourney]

No judgement. Obviously some people like discount grocery stores. 🤣🤣🙂

[@pumpkinseb666]

@@ChasetheJourney can you please do a live stream

[@pumpkinseb666]

how are you

[@enngee2339]

And most of the time, it doesn't actually matter "what is wrong with that boy". Just say hello.

[@andysgirl1766]

"How do you teach your non-disabled children to interact with those who do have a disability." Me: Simple. Do what I do: teach your children early that there are many ways that people walk/move, talk, see, hear etc...and it is okay and it's not weird...just different. My children are all Autistic, just like me...so it was very important to me that they understood that what makes them different is just as fine as something that makes someone else different. In our house, we are often confused about the behaviors of NT's (neeurotypicals...non autistic people)...behaviors that include categorizing, labeling, and defining others by, to our view, some very strange criteria...and often ends up being derogatory, unkind, or flat out wrong to the person in question. I can remember one instance with one of my younger sons, where a new student in his school happened to use a wheelchair. The little guy in question was sitting kind of away from the others in his chair and I said to my then five year old son, "Why don't you go say Hi to that little boy over there and ask him his name?" My son looked up at me from the table of sensory toys he was playing with and said, "why?" I told him, "Because I think he looks unhappy sitting there by himself and he might be very nice and you might be friends and play together." My son played with the toys a moment longer and then asked me, "But what if he's a meanie?" I remember laughing a little and telling him, "well if he's mean you don't have to play with him, but why don't you go say Hi and see?" (being autistic, my son had met his share of 'meanies') Long story short the two ended up getting along together like a house on fire...but that wasn't what made my mama-heart so happy...what made me so happy was that not once did my son question the fact that this little boy was in a wheelchair or why (though he did ask the boy some days later why he was in "that chair" and accepted the child's answer very matter of fact like), but instead, was simply worried that a new person he was meeting might not be nice...in essence he saw the little boy as he would anyone else, not so much the chair/disability...as it should be. He was worried about meeting someone new just like we all do at times (I'm an introvert as well Joy). Doing things like this...encouraging your children to be inclusive of others (and not because of, for instance, someone's disability, but rather because they may be sitting alone) is so very important when we are raising our children to be kind, sensitive, loving individuals. Also, if a child sees someone using a wheelchair or crutches, a seeing-eye dog, sign language, etc...and they ask questions,...parents shouldn't shush them or pull them away as I see so many parents do in grocery stores and other public places, seemingly embarrassed by their child's natural curiosity. It takes only a moment to inform or reassure a child so that their comfort level around someone with a disability can grow. Children learn quickly and wouldn't it be great if one of the first things they learned from us as parents is how to really see each other, no matter the small differences?

[@ChasetheJourney]

Thanks for commenting. And I totally agree. If you teach kids at a young age, things aren't weird for them. It's adults that are often the strangest when they see someone using a wheelchair or other mobility aid. Last week we were going to a restaurant and I heard a little boy says "Daddy...what is that?" In reference to my wheelchair. What a great opportunity not to try to silence the kids question, but just explain what it is.

[@lilartistca]

Lol Swagger. Great video!