When I was about 7, I went to tea with my best friend and found her dad at home. He was in a wheelchair and I never did find out why because you didn't really discuss that in the 70's, but all I knew was that I was frightened to death of him. He was a very nice person as I remember, but Id never met anyone disabled before and while I knew it was rude to stare I didn't know what to do or say. I wish I had. Now all these years later that is me, and my son will one day in the future bring a friend home. I'm going to be that parent and while I hope we are a bit more enlightened these days and children have seen more of disabilities I hope I wont be too embarrassing for him. At the moment hes oblivious to the difference but once he starts big school that will soon vanish. I don't know what happened to my friend or her dad as we ended up going to different schools later on, but I still feel guilty that I didn't know better.
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