Parents With Disabilities: Preparing For A Child by Ashley Taylor

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If you have a disability and are expecting your first child, there are a million questions and concerns rushing through your head. Similarly, educators may also wonder how to address teaching a child whose parents are disabled. Below is a brief guide on how to address parenthood and disability, whether you are approaching the matter as a parent or educator.

For Parents

For new parents with disabilities, the main challenge is going to be adapting your life to the presence of a child. This is obviously the case for every parent, but the difference is that your routine is probably already tailored to your disability. Things you have gotten used to doing for yourself may become harder, and long-standing habits may have to change.

Your schedule is likely to be more hectic when you have a kid, so anything you can do to streamline everyday tasks will be welcome in a few months. For instance, vision-impaired parents can benefit from labeling children’s food with textured tape or braille labels for easy meal preparation, and you should also consider making home modifications, such as installing grab bars in tubs and showers.

If you are sight-impaired or have mobility issues, you should do a full survey of the house to identify trip-and-fall hazard. Then, take steps to mitigate them, like placing non-slip rugs and mats in strategic locations. Even if it’s something you have learned to avoid, like an uneven step on the staircase or a tendency for water to pool in your bathroom, you are far less likely to remember to avoid it when you are running after a child.

When it comes to the more basic considerations, such as how you are going to reach the crib in a wheelchair or how you are going to hear them cry if you are hearing impaired, don’t worry too much. Thousands of parents have been in your situation before, and they have already come up with solutions to these problems. Organizations like Disability, Pregnancy, and Parenthood (U.K.-based) and Disabled Parents (U.S.-based) have a wealth of information on their websites about how to deal with both specific everyday challenges and broader issues such as your rights as a disabled parent.

For Educators

If a child in your classroom has a disabled parent, you should take some time to educate yourself on the disability. Make sure the child knows you are aware of their situation and that they can come to you with any issues.

If the parent has not directly addressed the matter with you, you can invite them to discuss any specific needs or support the child may require. You can take the opportunity to ask them how they would prefer you dealt with, for instance, other children making comments about their disability.

As an educator, you have probably learned to teach children about diversity. While this usually applies to cultural differences, the same concept extends to each child’s individual family background and situation. Plan a lesson for the whole class to educate the children about disability. According to a PBS Parents expert, this should focus on positive language (e.g: “uses a wheelchair to help them get around” rather than “has to use a wheelchair”) and on shared human commonalities. Unless you have the parent’s explicit permission, do not mention their disability in the lesson or draw any attention to that particular child.

Whether you are a parent or an educator, it is important to understand that having a disabled parent does not impact a child’s potential or capabilities. Both parents and teachers may have to make small adjustments to accommodate the situation, but ultimately, there is no reason why the child should not grow up happy, safe, and well-adjusted.