Especially if they've got their faces smooshed against the window, poking their tongues out and shouting taunts.
A bit like this...
...but five more monkeys, like stacks on, all trying to get a look at that person who looks different.
Don't just sit there oblivious to it all.
Discipline them. If you believe in giving them a light smack, do so. If you discipline them in other ways, like taking their toy away from them, do that.
Teach them at an early age about diversity and acceptance.
Teach them about illness and disability. And about compassion.
Teach them that someone who looks different to them and that doesn't fit the beautiful mould isn't something to be ridiculed.
And don't just say that they're young children and don't understand their actions.
Thank you.
This blog entry was originally published at Tune into Radio Carly.
Hey Carly, Shaz here i have to say i agree with you there. Great blog thanks for posting it... Shaz :)
ReplyDeleteYes... Stacks-on-Monkeys. That's exactly what they look like. As I was walking my son in his wheelchair hooked up to his feeding set (it was lunch time!), we walked past a bunch of cars waiting at the lights - and, i swear, some people think that they are invisible if they are sitting in a car...
ReplyDeleteWell, i could see all you monkeys in your cars staring goggle-eyed. "take a picture, it lasts longer", i said.
The problem with these goggle-eyed monkeys isn't the kids, it's the parents. They model this behaviour. AND, like they say in dog training, you train the owner not the dog - thus, you teach the parent. Discipline the monkey-kids? No. Teach them. All the kids at my son's pre-school have been taught, through modelling by his most beautiful teachers and aides, how to be courteous to EVERYONE (including my little man). It's all about courtesy, respect, dignity and empathy.
AND, when I find myself face-to-face with a staring child, I smile and tell them about my boy - all the ace things, and also how he was born differently so he can't walk like me, but how cool are his toxic-green wheels? Then I give my little champ a hair-ruffling and a big smooch. I finish off by saying, "hey, if you wanna know anything about my little man, you can ask me. He might look a bit different, but he's the same inside as you and me". The kids respond UNREAL. Funny, but they then go and teach their parents....
Thanks for your blog, Carly, just know that slowly (ever-so-slowly) our society is getting better. And I truly believe that most often it's not the kids that need the discipline...
Christine x