So being a parent with a disability I always knew at some point I'd have to explain the disability to my children.
I've mentioned before my hand/arm is weaker to Jake so can't do certain things. And he's just excepted it.
But now he's 4 and so "Why?" is his favourite question.
I've mentioned before my hand/arm is weaker to Jake so can't do certain things. And he's just excepted it.
But now he's 4 and so "Why?" is his favourite question.
The other night when going to bed Jake wanted to do 'round the garden' on me. Which he uses as a time wasting excuse before going to sleep. But it's very adorable so I let him do it.
Now my left hand doesn't turn fully to turn upwards and can't open fully flat so not the easiest to do 'round the garden' on.
Now my left hand doesn't turn fully to turn upwards and can't open fully flat so not the easiest to do 'round the garden' on.
Interestingly one of the surgeons years ago did offer to break and reattach the hand facing up. Although the only two possible uses for an upwards facing hand he could think of would be throwing up a tennis ball or carrying a tray!
And I didn't want to be a waiter at Wimbledon all my life so I declined the kind offer
And I didn't want to be a waiter at Wimbledon all my life so I declined the kind offer
Anyway back to the elongated bed time...
So as I tried to open my hand as best I could, Jake wanted to know why my left hand doesn't open flat.
So I explained to him and said I'd had an accident when I was younger.
He found it more of a novelty and the following day told the inlaws about my hand and how it opens in a funny way.
"It opens like this, not like your hands"
He's asked me a few times since about it and I'm always happy to explain (without the gory details)
So as I tried to open my hand as best I could, Jake wanted to know why my left hand doesn't open flat.
So I explained to him and said I'd had an accident when I was younger.
He found it more of a novelty and the following day told the inlaws about my hand and how it opens in a funny way.
"It opens like this, not like your hands"
He's asked me a few times since about it and I'm always happy to explain (without the gory details)
The one thing I like about Cbeebies is the regular inclusion of disability.
Children see able-bodied people all around them but might not see disability much in real life especially young people. It's good that they see it somewhere, so although it might not be 'the norm', it isn't totally out of the ordinary.
Children see able-bodied people all around them but might not see disability much in real life especially young people. It's good that they see it somewhere, so although it might not be 'the norm', it isn't totally out of the ordinary.
