Community› The Bump Local Boards› Houston Babies
Houston Babies
New Discussion

Parenting question...

KelleyAKelleyA
in Houston Babies

Last week we were at a restaurant and a young man (maybe 12) came in with his parents.  He was in a wheel chair and appeared to have an autoimmune disease.  He was quite taken by Amelia and watched her during the hour we were there.  Amelia was staring at him too and calling his wheel chair a car ("Mommy, car," "Boy, car," etc.) 

I tried to redirect Amelia toward our table, but since the young man was looking our way she wasn't interested in anything but him.  Eventually she stopped staring on her own and ate some of her dinner.

How would you have handled the situation?  I didn't want the young man or his family to feel like they were being watched, but I couldn't get my toddler to quit staring.

Would you have corrected Amelia and said "no, that's not a car"?  It's not polite to stare, etc.?

I know that Amelia is probably too young to understand that some kids look different than her or lead a different life so I don't know if I handled that particular situation correctly. 

Report Reply to Post

Re: Parenting question...

  • JamicanBrideJamicanBride

    I think she's too young to understand it's not a car...lol.  Kids stare all the time and it does bother me too when my kid stares at people. But I usually just say something like, "say hi", "he's going to eat his lunch too and lets' see if you can to eat your lunch like him", or to the boy, "she likes you" or "she likes your wheelchair"....you can't escape the fact that he is in one (at least at her age) so just put a postive spin on it instead of trying to have it not be awkaward.  It not as if he doesn't realize what she's looking at. 

    Now if he had a skin disease or was a burn victim, totally different story, I would not know how to handle that situation at all.  

    image Oh Joy to the World!!
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Karey08Karey08
    He is probably very used to being looked at and probably welcomed the break of it being a toddler who was friendly and smiling.  I probably would have told Aidan it was a very special car and not corrected into exactly what it was but made it more of a cool item for kids that need help getting around.  If the boy would have overheard that part of the conversation it probably would have made him feel more at ease than self-conscious. 
    Report Reply
  • horn_jm@hotmail.comhorn_jm@hotmail.com
    I wouldn't worry about how you handled it.  She is a young toddler, and I'm sure they understood.
    Report Reply
  • TexasHarmonyTexasHarmony

    imageKarey08:
    He is probably very used to being looked at and probably welcomed the break of it being a toddler who was friendly and smiling.  I probably would have told Aidan it was a very special car and not corrected into exactly what it was but made it more of a cool item for kids that need help getting around.  If the boy would have overheard that part of the conversation it probably would have made him feel more at ease than self-conscious. 

    That is great thinking.

    imageimage
    Pics by Fleurish Imagery
    Report Reply
  • MrsMGRMrsMGR
    Joe calls them "Bye-cull"  (bicycle)  I don't know what I'd do if I were in your shoes....but now I will call them "special bicycles" as per Karey's advice.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
    Report Reply
  • KKMMexKKMMex

    I think you handled the situation perfectly. 

    When Amelia gets a bit older, there's a great book called Best Friend on Wheels that I got for Sarah at the library.  It's about a little girl who makes a friend who's in a wheelchair.  I'm not sure how much she really "got it" but she loved the story and asked me to read it every night while we had the book checked out. 

    image

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"