Prepare the child for the path...

Quote commonly credited to Tim Elmore.

Have you ever seen this quote? I remember the first time I saw it; it was written on a small wooden plaque. I remember thinking, "But, no! I have to do both!" You see, when you have a child with disabilities who needs support, they will likely grow into an adult with disabilities who still needs support. And so, this quote kind of does a funny thing to you as a parent. On one hand, of course you're doing all you can to prepare your child for the figurative path. But on the other hand, no matter what you do to prepare your child, that damn path will never be a welcoming place for them without a little prep work of its own.

Super-duper easy example to illustrate what I'm trying to say. If you had a child with mobility issues, you would make sure they have a wheelchair. That wheelchair would be one way to prepare your child for the path, both figuratively and literally. However, prior to 1990 and the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the usefulness of that wheelchair would have been limited because wheelchairs couldn't access many paths. But you know what? Countless disability advocates (including parents) worked tirelessly for decades to bring about necessary change to prepare paths.

And there are still PLENTY of paths that need a lot of work.

Disability rights activists stage a protest in Los Angeles, CA to call attention to the inaccessibility of public transportation in the 1970s.

Parents, educators, and related service providers are out here trying to prepare our children for the path. These children may have hours and hours and hours of therapy. They may have specialized instruction in school. They may need to master strategies to manage (among other things) the anxiety of trying to live in a world that was just not built for them.

Listen, I know this quote wasn't written with disabled children in mind... but doesn't that fact also kind of illustrate my point??? Is it really too much to ask that we as a society prepare the path to become a little more welcoming to ALL who use it???

Meaningful access please! This ramp does not look even close to safe or ADA compliant!

With Love, Light, and Gratitude,

Janell

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