Great disability awareness amongst the young

Slosh

One of the groups I teach is made up of year 4 children, 8-9 years of age, who need extra help, e.g. trying to teach them simple addition and subtraction facts. Today they asked if I would be going on their school trip with them. I said no and explained that I can't use public transport (they will be travelling by tube), their response was that they could go in a coach and I could sit on the front seat.
I said that was kind but there would be lots of walking at the museum and I wouldn't be able to walk round with them.
Their response was that I could use a wheelchair.
When I said I would need to be pushed I immediately had two children volunteer!

They really made my day.

barbara12

How lovely slosh , will you be taking them up on there offer...the thing I like about children is there simplistic look on life..bless them..

stickywicket

Bless 'em. I think kids are naturally inclusive and try to find ways of helping us join in. It can be scary Whenever I'm in the wheelchair my 9 yr old grandson always wants to 'have a go with Grandma'. As he's tiny, and can't see above my head, this means he looks over my shoulder and the chair invariably turns in the opposite direction. I've had close encounters with several trees and lamp posts,

Slosh

Lovely image there Sticky. The pupil who offered to push me is lovely but also has AD/HD so I don't know how safe I would be in his hands.
Went out yesterday with my daughter and grandchildren, and used my rollator going round Sainsbury's. Both boys were fascinated by it and held on to it, one on each side. They also had to have turns at sitting on it.

bubbadog

I was surprised on holiday when some of the American/Canadian kids came over to me and asked me a lot of questions about what was wrong with me. They seemed very interested and I jokingly asked if they wanted a ride with me and their parents said no to them because they where worried having them on my lap would hurt me. It is amazing how interesting children's minds are!!

Slosh

They are genuinely curious and young children also have an innocence and haven't learnt to be "embarrassed " for want of a better word and never ask a question meaning to cause ofence or pry intentionally. They are also naturally accepting of difference.

Years ago I remember trying to explain to a 5 year old pupil why one of his classmates couldn't do the same things as him (she had quite severe learning difficulties and at the time was only saying a few words), I did my best and when I'd finished he said "So it's like her brain is upside down and the wrong way round so things are hard. But if we help her and she keeps trying she'll learn".