"I want a GAC" said to us!

[MulanMom]

I have always been able to come with a quick and when necessary sarcastic reply to these sort of remarks in the past.

The problem now is DS (10) is more aware of the remarks and stares and it causes him to feel embarrassed and bad about himself. Sometimes by responding I would cause him further discomfort.

You can view it as modeling for him how he should respond. I read these boards because my husband has a disability. We also have children who are adopted internationally and we are a very "public" adoptive family....i.e. one look and you know our family is built through adoption. People make many thoughtless comments, ask invasive questions, etc. When they were younger, it was easier to respond in a way. When they started understanding is when it became more challenging to come up with answers. At the same time, my children have to learn that just because people are rude enough to ask very personal questions, they are not required to be polite and answer. I don't advocate a rude response, but a clever one which makes the questioner think and doesn't compromise my children, but instead, empowers them.

Hopefully, your son will learn not to allow strangers to make him feel badly about himself. I know, easier said than done.

 

[pokemon_master]

I think this is more Ignorance than anything particular.. From the look of things they don't have much knowledge about what a GAC is and so wouldn't know it was for disabilties.

I agree with Cheshire Figment's statement; that would definitely shut them up for good.

 

[Newcastle]

We were waiting one time in the Princess Tent to see the characters and the woman in front of us was spitting made because my daughters were allowed to bring their wheelchairs into the line but she had to hold her sleeping 2 year old. Her husband kept telling her those are wheelchair they need them we don't need the stroller but she kept saying I don't see the difference.

You have got to be kidding me! I don't think I would have been able to hold my tongue!

 

[missypie]

I think this is more Ignorance than anything particular.. From the look of things they don't have much knowledge about what a GAC is and so wouldn't know it was for disabilties.

I agree with Cheshire Figment's statement; that would definitely shut them up for good.

Yeah, I think that the guy just wasn't very smart. I think that at some point, many of our little kids have said it would be "neat" to be in a wheelchair, "fun" to have a seeing eye dog, etc. We then explain to them why it wouldn't be fun or neat. I think maybe this guy still had the brainpower of a child.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

This hits very close to home for me! For the past 6 years I suffered from severe neuropathy. I could walk VERY short distances with a cane. I own a manual chair and for trips I rented ECV. The doctors never came up with a diagnosis and I was told to live with it. It got progressively worse.

Then without any reason, it got better just as sudden as it came. I am regaining my strength and I can walk and move like the majority of the population. I keep telling my DH that I'm so excited to just be in a line with everyone else! I hated how slowly I moved through the park and how carefully I had to drive to keep from hitting someone on accident.

I've been there and back again. No GAC in the world will ever compensate.

And anyone who thinks that it would is CRAZY!