Awkward Moments: Special Needs Edition

Everyone has times when an awkward moment hits. You know...someone makes a comment that isn't necessarily about you, but it applies to you and the person doesn't know it.

As a mother of a child with special needs, there have been some awkward moments that have happened over the years. These moments strike when I least expect them.

Imagine being me, the mom of a sweet child with Down syndrome who attends a special education program, when people make these statements:


"I heard some terrible news. The doctor thinks that Mrs. Jones is going to have a baby with Down syndrome." Terrible? Is my daughter's life terrible? Hmmm...

"We need to have special prayer with our church because we think we are having a baby with Down syndrome." Followed by several minutes of prayer for the unborn baby not to have Down syndrome. Wait, what?

"I wish my child didn't have to have an IEP. It's so sad." So sad. Both of my children have IEPs after all. 

"I don't want MY child is the special education room. That's for kids who are really bad off, not MY child." (I have heard this one several times!!!) Sorry but maybe your child is one of those children, and maybe it's ok if your child needs the same type of support as my child. 

"I don't want MY child in the special education room with all those special ed kids who are mean and don't talk!" Not talking does not mean the child isn't smart. I should know, my child didn't talk for years.

"Can you believe she did that? She's so r*tarded?" The r-word! Really??!!

"I told him that he's doing it wrong. I told him that's the way the special kids do it." Oh my goodness! Did you really just say that to me?

*****

Ok, I know people make mistakes and sometimes you say some things without thinking. But, really sometimes I can't believe what people say to me. 

There's something important that I try to remember though. I have said some offensive comments without thinking that I realized later on that I should not have said. I'm not perfect. No one is.

So, I try to forget it and move on. I try not to hold grudges or take things personally that weren't about me personally. Everyone deserves forgiveness, me included.

Awkward moments bring opportunities for moments of anger and sadness, but they can also bring opportunities for forgiveness and freedom.

Happy Down syndrome awareness month!