What do you say to your kids about kids w/special needs?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering...what do parents of 'typically' developing kids say to their children about other kids in their class who have special needs?

(whether it is a physical, social-emotional, language, or other need?)

[Anonymous]

All children need extra help with something and there are some children whose needs may be more visible than others.

You may want to post this on the Special Needs forum and see what the wise parents there have to say.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to say anything unless your child asks or seems unsure/concerned.

My child has been in a inclusion child care program and doesn't really notice or comment about his special needs friend's differences. He does think one of his friend's walkers is pretty cool and likes to show it to me on occasion when I come to pick him up. Kids are pretty "go with the flow" and don't really get uneasy about differences in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All children need extra help with something and there are some children whose needs may be more visible than others.

You may want to post this on the Special Needs forum and see what the wise parents there have to say.

There are multiple ongoing discussion on the SN forum on this, and exactly why it is posted on here instead--You are the parents with 'typically' developing kids. Why post on a forum where many parents only have SN kids?

You are the parents who we fear when our kids are mainstreamed, and have to experience your stares, whispers, and judgements. If I find time, I will post the very sad experiences of families w/kids who have needs, and their sad experiences with 'typical' families.

[Anonymous]

Parent of a neurotypical and physically typical kid here. Here is how we talk about it, in a nutshell. We are also a family that talks about stuff like race and gender, etc.

Everyone is different. Some people have bodies that work differently than yours. This does not make anybody better or worse than anybody else. Some people have brains that work differently than yours. This does not make anybody better or worse than anybody else. You are all in the classroom to learn, and everyone has a right to be there.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Anonymous]

"Everybody has strengths, everybody has weaknesses. But when you get right down to it, we're all really alike on the inside."

[Anonymous]

"You may want to post this on the Special Needs forum and see what the wise parents there have to say."

"Lather, rinse, repeat."


And we wonder why kids are mean. Tone at the top.

[Anonymous]

By "lather, rinse, repeat," I meant it isn't one conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I find time, I will post the very sad experiences of families w/kids who have needs, and their sad experiences with 'typical' families.

It would be great if you could post about some positive experiences to give folks something to model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All children need extra help with something and there are some children whose needs may be more visible than others.

You may want to post this on the Special Needs forum and see what the wise parents there have to say.

...
You are the parents who we fear when our kids are mainstreamed, and have to experience your stares, whispers, and judgements. If I find time, I will post the very sad experiences of families w/kids who have needs, and their sad experiences with 'typical' families.

Not the person you're responding to, but why so quick to jump to conclusions about this parent? So far everyone who has posted has shared their best efforts to handle their kids' questions with sensitivity and openness, and I don't see what about this response called for your attack.