Tips on Kids' Disability Etiquette
According to the CODI Internet Directory of Disability, "Forty-three million people are disabled in the United States." That means that it's almost impossible to go through life without meeting a person with a disability. It's important when teaching your kids proper etiquette, you strive to include disability etiquette. There are a lot of negative perceptions about a disabled person's worth, intelligence and overall abilities no matter what they're physical or mental limitations may be. It is important when speaking with your child about disability etiquette that you educate them so that they are comfortable when they interact with people who have disabilities.
Other People Are Reading
-
Instructional Videos
-
Before you sit down and talk with your kids about disability etiquette, it might be a good idea to let them watch a video about disabilities. Videos like "Ten Tips for Kids: Disability Etiquette" will help your kids understand and see exactly what a person with disability might look like. It will show them examples of negative interactions and vocabulary and then counter poor disability etiquette with more positive etiquette.
Vocabulary
-
Sit down with your kids and go over words that are used to describe people with disabilities. Words like handicapped, retarded and even the word disabled can be offensive to people with mental or physical impairments. Ask what comes to mind when they hear the words. Do they feel "good" or "bad" and "negative" or "positive." Compare their feelings towards the words to what someone with an impairment might feel to broaden their empathy.
-
Interaction
-
Often times because children are uncomfortable or don't understand impairments, they fail to look a disabled person in the eye, speak to them directly or treat them with respect. It is important that you stress that people with impairments deserve the same respect as anyone else. The more kids know about disabilities, the more comfortable they should become in interaction. Work on having your child look you in the eye when you are speaking and exercise respect even when they don't understand a situation.
Reach Out
-
Contact an organization like the World Association of Persons with Disabilities. Inquire to see if they have awareness program volunteers who are willing to speak with your family. Like putting a name to a face, it's always more effective to make a theoretical situation real. Once your child actually interacts with a person who is impaired, it's more likely they will become comfortable around disabled people.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
