Young children and people with disabilities

[Erasmus]

In my English class, we had to write whether we agreed or disagreed with this statement "Young children shouldn't be exposed to adults with disabilities". I said that I disagreed. I just have no idea how exposing kids to people with disabilities could cause any harm. You guys have any ideas?

[Gigablue]

I don't really see what arguments there are in support of this. I fail to see how harm could come from exposing children to people with disabilities. If anything, it would teach them to be more accepting and tolerant.

[ImCoolBeans]

The only negative I can think of is the child not being able to comprehend that the person is disabled and hurt his or her feelings by making fun of the disability. I think it's better off that children are exposed to people with disabilities just as normally as they would be exposed to anybody else, though. It's important that kids learn at a young age that they will encounter people with disabilities and that it's important to treat them just as respectfully as you would treat anybody else. Sheltering kids away would make them less cultured people down the line.

[Jess]

I fail to see the negatives, apart from the one Mikey mentioned. I agree that it's good to expose them, so they could learn to tolerate and respect adults with disabilities.

[Professional Russian]

I don't see a problem. The only thing I could think would be the kid making fun of the guy with a disability

[Cicero]

I don't think it'd really harm them, unless that parent has extreme mood swings or is violent. If they have a disability that causes them to be violent I don't think that child should be exposed.

Also, if that parent has an eating disorder and the child sees that parent throw up all the time after food, I believe that could be very harmful. Because that child might think that's normal, and the child might start doing it.

[The LOLer]

I highly disagree. I am in a wheelchair my self and I can tell that young children are not harmed by people with disabilities. But children sure can be annoying.

[OFD-Lt.Mark]

I must say that I believe it depends on the childs age. I believe the child should have the mental and physical maturity to realize that the person who is disabled can not help themselves and that they do have a problem they cannot control. This would perpare them to not be judgmental and possible hurt the persons feelings. I see no reason to 'shelter' kids from the world.

[xmojox]

Exposing little kids to all of the possible differences in people is only a good thing. It teaches them from an early age to be accepting of and respectful toward these differences. It's as ridiculous a notion as shielding kids from those of different races.

[Jean Poutine]

School topics become dumber every year. What happened to "is violence on TV bad for kids" or something?

To answer the question, obviously they should. Your precious children aren't going to lose a leg by being in contact with a one-legged dude.

[randomnessqueen]

yea, that doesnt make much sense. if anything, its better that they are exposed to those people. when i was really young, i met a man who didnt have any limbs, and it was really inspiring, because he was more capable than alot of people. not to mention that there are also children with disabilities, who are in need of that kind of inspiration even more.