It’s International Wheelchair Day & following one of my latest shorts a parent asked the great question ‘My son sometimes sees people with visible disabilities & asks me what the issue is…Is there ever a sensible way to approach someone and ask about why they are in a wheelchair?’

The short answer is No, but here’s some more insight. Firstly, It’s not the job of random strangers from any marginalized group to educate you or your child about their minority. It’s your job to educate yourself & your child about the beautiful diversity we see in the world & how we can be more accepting & inclusive of everyone.

If your child asks why someone uses a wheelchair, simply tell them it helps that person get around. The answer does not need to be medicalised, Disability is simply a part of human diversity, it is NOT an ‘issue’! I understand that inevitably some children may continue to ask ‘why’. So you can explain there are many reasons why disabled people may need different kinds of assistive devices & you can research it further together by finding TV shows or books with disabled characters or following disabled educators like me online. The more your kid is exposed to disability the less they will point it out or ask questions.

As a disabled person it can be exhausting educating strangers about disability let alone when the questions are personal or intrusive. This is worse when it interrupts us just trying to go about our day. How would you feel if someone stopped you when you’re running late to ask you personal questions? If your child insists on approaching a disabled person, make sure it is just for a short compliment like ‘Wow I really love your wheels’ or ‘That light up stick is SO cool’ just like they might get excited seeing someone with cool hair or a funky shirt.

None of the children in my life have ever asked me why I need a wheelchair or other mobility aids, they just accept it because that’s what they know. My young cousins always make sure my stick isn’t too far away from me if we’ve been playing on the floor & my friends' kids love to ride on my lap, so really the best thing to teach your kids is that Wheelchairs are cool!