How to Teach Children About Mental Disabilities

Teaching children about disabilities helps them learn to respect people regardless of differences.

Teaching children about mental disabilities is an important part of their education and ensures they will treat disabled people with understanding, patience and, crucially, respect. From an early age, children should be aware that people come in all shapes and sizes and with varying levels of ability, and that's not a bad thing. Taking the time to discuss these issues not only helps children understand mental disabilities, but also fosters a positive attitude towards diversity in general.

Instructions

1. Encourage young children to develop friendships with mentally disabled children. Many schools offer admission to young children with certain disabilities but if that is not the case with your child's school then there are many charitable organizations looking for volunteers. At a young age, the difference between disabled and non-disabled children is less so friendships are easier, and as the the gap widens as the children grow, the relationship will be strong enough by that stage to adapt to changing circumstances.

2. Don't over-sensitize children to the issues surrounding mental disability. It's important that children treat disabled people with respect and don't patronize mentally disabled children and adults. Children should feel comfortable around disabled people, and be able to interact with them naturally and genuinely.

3. Do not shy away from discussing these issues openly with children. Children are naturally inquisitive so if an adult seems unwilling to discuss a certain subject, they may try to find out about the subject themselves, unsupervised. If a parent seems uncomfortable, this may send the wrong message, so try to be as honest and straightforward about the issues as possible and don't be afraid to admit any gaps in your own knowledge. Researching the topic together might be a good way for both parent and child to learn about different mental disabilities.

4. Instruct children in the importance of being tactful about mental illness. However educated a child may be in the symptoms and causes of mental illness, they may not consider all the emotional implications for disabled people and their families. Children should know to allow disabled people to bring up the subject of mental illness themselves as and when it is appropriate.

References

• Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Inclusion of Disabled Children in Primary School Playgrounds
• Well Being Development.org: We Must Get More Educated on Mental Illness; Chad Scott; 2011
• Psych Central.com: Should You Tell Your Kids about Your Mental Illness?; Margarita Tartakovsky
• Disability World.org:The Importance of Teaching Children to Celebrate and Value Diversity; Barbara Kolucki

Resources

• Crippled Girl.com: Tips for Talking to Your Kids about Disabilities; Jenn Leisey; 2011