Given the chance, a child will observe Dexter for a while, noting the differences between him and them... and then, they will come to Dexter.
Some will talk. Some will lie down and play next to him.
By lying down, they are coming to his level, which is very inclusive.
It's absolutely beautiful watching these children interact with Dexter.
These kids never say: You look funny.
And its easy to teach a child to see kids like Dexter... not the disability.
How?
Take away the pity, and give age-related facts.
His brain works a bit differently to ours.
Sometimes, he has trouble telling his muscles what to do.
He tries really, really hard to learn new things. It's like when you first tried to (*something your child is learning). That was really tricky, but you never gave up. Well, Dexter is like that with sitting up. He never gives up.
Look at his eyes when you talk to him. Sometimes, his brain stops his eyes from seeing you, but sometimes, he can see you.
He can hear you. He knows what you're saying.
Oh, he liked that. (If they get a smile from Dexter)
Kids can be so accepting
and childhood is the perfect time to teach empathy and compassion.
Doctors advised the parents to place the children in homes... hinted that the children would be in a vegetative state and not worth taking home to be loved.
Life of the disabled was too difficult.
It was easier to leave the kids right from the start.
Many mothers refused to leave their children, preferring to take them home.
Those days, they didn't have the support networks we have now.
They didn't have the therapy gear we can get for Dexter.
They didn't have ipads or communication devices.
And sadly, children with cerebral palsy today, in developing nations, are often living in very similar situations.
But in Australia, we're becoming so much more aware of disabilities. We're more open to learning about their additional needs and we're learning to raise our expectations of what people with disabilities can achieve and accomplish.
The grown ups are starting to understand.
Kids are watching television and seeing people with disabilities being portrayed in more positive ways. People with hearing impairments are presenters on Play School, and sign language is introduced as something cool and fun. Kids with vision impairments have access to all kinds of books and stories in braille.
People with disabilities are no longer being kept away from main society...
We see them. We hear their stories.
We learn about them and we make friends with them.
We are starting to see kids with disabilities in advertising
and there are some toy figurines with disabilities.
Holly Greenhow is a seven year old clothing model. What got everyone talking, is the fact she has cerebral palsy. Seb White, with Downs Syndrome, modeled for a Christmas catalog. There have been a few other children with disabilities working as models, but not many. Still... it's starting. |
And, meet Barbie's friend Becky. Did you hear Becky was having trouble fitting inside Barbie's house? She wasn't too fat... she was in a wheelchair. With the wheelchair, Becky didn't fit through the doorways of the house. It needed modifications. A girl with cerebral palsy contacted Mattel and told them Becky did not fit in the elevator or through the doors. And their response... A new house was designed - one with wider doors and no stairs. |
And, soon enough, todays' kids will be the ones designing the TV shows, the advertising material, the books and movies and the toys and dolls.
And, they'll design the specialised equipment for the next generation of kids born with disabilities.
*Raising awareness of cerebral palsy