parenting with a disability

Perspectives in Parenting: Interview with A.L.

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

In our first interview for our series on perspectives of parenting with a disability, we spoke with A.L. from South Florida. Continue reading this post to learn more about his experience of parenting with a disability.

Question: What are some of the concerns you had about parenting with a disability before becoming a parent?

A.L: When I got injured in 2004, my daughter who is now 25 was 7 years of age. One of my concerns was not being able to play sports with her as she was very active with softball and soccer. Also, not being able to have close access to her games due to the fields being all grass and or parks not having wheelchair access.

Question: What is one of the biggest obstacles you have faced as a parent with a disability?

A.L: Not being able to easily go to the beach with my kids due to access on the sand.

Question: What is the most important modification or pieces assistive technology that has made it’s easier and is important to you as a parent with a disability?

A.L: My hand controls for driving are a must!

Question: How have your children adapted to you as a parent with a disability?

A.L: My 25-year-old who was 7 at the time adapted to my situation very quick. She saw that I was motivated and determined so that made it easy for her. My triplets who have only known me in the wheelchair, only have random questions once in a while.

adult affection baby casual — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Question: Can you remember a time where you changed someone’s opinion about your ability to parent with your disability?

A.L: Yes. When people would see me around my neighborhood pushing a triplet stroller they would smile and tell me how they never thought they’d see someone in a wheelchair take their kids for a stroll so easily.

Question: As a stepparent, do you feel like your stepchildren treated you differently because of your disability?

A.L: My triplets mother has a daughter who was 5 years of age when I met her. At first she had a lot of questions but adapted very quickly and saw that I can basically do everything that an able body person can just a bit slower.

Question: What would you like to see change for parents with disabilities?

A.L: More access for hard to reach places and more cost effective equipment.

Question: Is there anything else you’d like people that are reading this to know about parents with disabilities?

A.L: Never give up on trying to do the things you want to do for yourself and your children!

Mama’s Munchkin Blog would like to thank A.L. for participating in our interview. If you know anyone who would like to participate in this series in an effort to raise awareness about the issues parents with disabilities face in our society, please email us at mamasmunchkinblog@gmail.com

Origins of The Mama’s Munchkin Blog

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of starting this blog. In the past, when people found out I had created a blog they always wanted to know the reasoning behind it. So, I thought I’d take this time to give you the inside scoop on how it all started.

I originally started the blog because I wanted to set off on the journey of having a family. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy. I knew I was going to have to do some research and learn as much as I could about how my pregnancy would or would not affect my disability. I knew I was going to come up against obstacles I hadn’t faced before in my life because of my disability. I was also curious about what technology was available to help me along the way. My first goal was to be proactive and start to solve the problems I could see up ahead. I began looking for information and resources on parenting with a disability.

I don’t think disability is as rare as some people make it seem. Due to an array of different reasons, the population of people with disabilities is growing regularly. Medical advances are also allowing people to live longer lives. We may have to think outside the box to overcome our obstacles but that makes it like a continual puzzle that needs to be solved until the next challenge arises.

Since the information I was searching for seemed nonexistent, and I had some experience writing, I decided to be a voice of information and educational resources. I also wanted it to be something fun so that whoever came across the blog could gain a positive understanding of what living with a disability was truly like.

So many times, disability has had a negative connotation surrounding it. Complicating things, I had run into people that were second-guessing my parenting abilities with no concrete evidence. They were making assumptions based on my outward appearance. Dating, family, and other topics that are of a personal nature always seemed taboo. Honestly, I’ve never seen those topics that way and wanted a place for people to know that we are all just human beings.

Becoming tired of seeing and hearing a lot of negativity surrounding living with a disability and the misconceptions people still have about it, I want people to understand it’s not the end of the world and people with disabilities are no one’s charity case. The blog is here as a source to get meaningful information on how to overcome each obstacle and find a better perspective on the best ways available to move forward under different circumstances. Anyone who is interested in learning more about this topic is also welcome on this journey. They can trust this to be a source where they can get pointed in the right direction and encouragement to achieve their goals.

I thought about how people would be frustrated and needed a reliable resource to look toward and know they weren’t alone. I had no idea what the blog would turn into. It’s been an information source that has raised awareness about different issues that are important to me and the disability community. It’s also been a place where people connect and find resources they need. I am happy that it has grown and has such a loyal readership. In the coming years I hope the blog continues to grow and be known as a source of reliable information and a place where people can leave comments to questions they might not otherwise feel comfortable asking in other settings.