How do You Teach Disability Awareness to Your Children?
March is actually DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH, and I have come to learn about an organization that truly should be in the spotlight…
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and CVS Caremark’s “All Kids Can”
They have created this organization to support children with disabilities by raising awareness in our own communities, including our schools, about the importance of inclusion. They partner with other organizations to help children with disabilities learn, play and succeed.
I am very proud of the fact that my own community supports these types of organizations and has programs set up to raise awareness. My 4-year old’s preschool has a Muscular Dystrophy Hop-athon where they teach the kids about disabilities and ways to help out. My 5-year old’s kindergarten class also has a program in their school where they teach the children about autism so that they understand it better and can make choices to help these kids feel included.
In our own home, we talk about how everyone is different in some way and that is what makes life so fun and interesting. We all have different hair, skin, bodies, personalities…and if not for that, it would be way too boring. My children are also fortunate enough to be exposed to people in power chairs, which initially can be a bit intimidating for a small child, but they no longer think it is any “different” and understand that some people’s legs just don’t work the same as ours.
Learn more about the CVS Caremark organizations by visiting http://www.cvscaremarkallkidscan.com/.
Please share your story of how you teach disability awareness in your own homes. This is an important topic and should be discussed. Have you had an uncomfortable moment with your child when they first came upon some one with a disability?
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2 Responses to “How do You Teach Disability Awareness to Your Children?”
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This is an awesome program!
Being the parent of a special needs kiddo I am all too aware of how many children are not taught how to react to a disabled child (especially a child with developmental disabilities who may look “normal”).
I truly think that this type of lesson should be built into all grades at school. As my younger dd tells her friends “People may be different on the outside – but everyone is the same on the inside and we all have feelings”.
Thanks for posting about this – the more people are aware that they need to teach their children, the less “what’s her problem” looks parents like me will get from others (sometimes parents need to learn this lesson too!)
This is so true. I believe that alot of the “what’s wrong with them?” questions are related to younger children not being aware that not everyone is the same. That program in schools is a great idea!!