It's OK to Notice and It's OK to Ask Questions

Having a visible disability attracts inquisitive eyes and a never-ending barrage of questions and comments. Most of these remarks are likely to come from young children who aren't yet aware of societal standards and boundaries (Fraser-Barbour, 2021). Children, especially young ones, are inherently interested, so the first thing they do when they see or meet someone with a disability is to inquire about it. Most comments preschoolers make about appearance are innocent they're simply describing what they see. Their honest and blatant questions are asked with the intention of learning, rather than judging.

There are ways to handle the situation that will satisfy a child's natural curiosity while also turning an otherwise uncomfortable situation into a learning opportunity. When a child is reprimanded for asking about differences, it can give the child the impression that disability is somehow wrong or taboo. Disability is a normal part of life and giving a child open and straightforward answers helps the child learn that disability is a part of human diversity.

It is important to be prepared and to address a child's curiosity about disabilities as openly and honestly. Avoid a long detailed explanation or a lot of emotion when explaining it, and keep the explanations positive (Morin, 2021). Talk about disabilities and differences in a respectful manner. We need to be aware of the narratives we are projecting onto children, and avoid using derogatory terms or using a disability as a way to describe a person. Negative narratives teach children discomfort, avoidance, and fear toward people who have a disability. Instead give the child the language to use to talk about someone who has a learning disability or a physical disability (Hutton, n.d.).

Glasses are Cool

I can remember an incident in the classroom when I was sitting next to a child watching her put a puzzle together and out of blue she asked me "Why do you wear glasses? At first it caught me off guard but I took a moment before answering to think about how I could answer the child truthfully without the child having negative or fearful thoughts. I told the child that I wear glasses to help me see better. I explained that some people can see very well without glasses, some people wear glasses for fun, some people wear glasses to protect their eyes from the sun or bright lights, and some people like me need them to see better. I gave her a quick example by pointing to a STEM poster and said, "See that poster when I take my glass off I can only see the pictures, but I can not see the words very good, but when I put on the glasses Presto Magic I can see the words". I asked the child if anyone in her family wore glasses? She said "My Nana wears them sometimes, but not all the time". I said "She probably uses them to help her read. Those glasses are called "Readers". The child said "Oh". This explanation seemed to satisfy the child's curiosity and she went back to playing with her puzzle.

When answering children's questions about differences adults should be thoughtful and intentional in how they respond (Fraser-Barbour, 2021). I think the message that I communicated to the child was appropriate, that it sent out the message that it was okay and acceptable if a person wears glasses. Children should be exposed to a wide range of individuals, including people of various colors, ethnicities, genders, appearances, and disabilities, so that seeing someone with a visible difference does not come as a surprise.

Teaching About Disabilities with Magnifying Glasses and Microscopes

I actually incorporated this experience about vision in a lesson plan about the senses. I used the magnifying glasses and a microscope so show how we can see things better or with more details with the aid of a magnifying glass or a microscope. I explained that this is the same concept as when people need to wear glasses to see better.

References

Fraser-Barbour, E. (2021). Teaching your child about disability and difference. https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/helping-your-kids-to-not-be-awkward-around-disability/11739256

Hutton, L. (n.d.). Talking to kids about disabilities. https://www.familyeducation.com/life/empathy/6-tips-talk-your-kids-about-disabilities

Morin, A. (2021 May 27). How to talk to kids about disabilities. https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-disabilities-4142349