Glenn Moscoso is a father who uses a wheelchair. He writes about his experiences on his blog Wheelchair Daddy. In one post, Glenn shares an instance where Glenn’s son (Jacob) was confronted with the curious question of “Why is your dad in a wheelchair?”
Glenn’s wife (Rachel) overheard the conversation between her son and his friend. She admits she was curious about her Jacob’s response. Jacob just simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t know, he doesn’t know how to walk.” Jacob’s friend was good with that answer and he moved onto another subject. Glenn says whenever he sees Jacob’s friend now he always stops Glenn to talk about the latest cool toy.
“What’s interesting about kids is once they have their curiosity satisfied their acceptance is instant.”
Glenn and Rachel had a conversation with Jacob that night at the dinner table. Glenn states the couple explained that it was not that Glenn did not know to walk but that he could not walk. Glenn was holding his breath waiting for Jacob to ask all kinds of questions but he just accepted it and moved on. Glenn says, “I was holding my breath for him to ask why. But, he didn’t! He was like okay cool can you pass me some more vegetables.”
Glenn states these types of conversations with your children can be overwhelming. But he and Rachel welcome the conversations with their son. Glenn concludes, “We feel blessed and excited to educate him and mold him to have compassion and yet have a unique understanding and perspective that disability doesn’t mean incapable!”