Accessibility is a game changer -both physical and for LDs

[BlsdMama]

Physical or learning....

All I can say is don't hesitate to make changes.

This weekend we were at my folks' for Christmas and it made me incredibly aware how grateful I am for accommodations. I love them, but it was difficult - no ramp so no powerchair.  I used a regular wheelchair forcing me to depend on everyone and left me out of some conversations and areas.  My husband had to go with me into the bathroom.  I really got to see first hand what my life would be like without our accommodations and it was SO good for me to see the ways that I'm independent.  I'm so grateful to be in 2022 instead of 1980 when my life would have looked markedly different.  This morning I installed a trackball for my computer.  SO cool.

 

My bathroom allows me to pee by myself... my house allows me to use my power chair.  My powerchair allows me incredible independence.  I'm starting to learn a lot about learned helplessness - the whole concept of starting to assume, "I can't," when my whole life I've been an, "Of course I can!" person.  

Accommodations do not cripple a person.  They make it so every single thing isn't so damn hard.  I see it over and over again.  "My kid is dyslexic.  I don't want to use speech to text.  I feel I'm enabling them to do it the easy way."  Who am I kidding?! I WAS THIS PERSON.

It is a fight to get out of bed.  It's a grueling battle to just put on pants and underwear.  I can't put on socks.  If my husband said to me, "Hey Kelly, I really want you to button your shirt today because I feel like I'm enabling you," I might run him over with my wheelchair. 😉 (He'd never do that btw, he's a keeper.)

Half of my kids have dyslexia.  Most of them have needed remediation but not accommodations.  Two have severe to profound dyslexia.  I always worried I wasn't preparing them for life if I used accommodations. But what I didn't know? It's so DEFEATING when every single thing is Level 10 hard.  So let's suppose a kiddo struggles with reading and, due to reading, struggles with math.  If you use a program like TT (which I don't like) then the child is read the math lesson, he's not dependent on you for EVERY little thing.  By keeping kiddo dependent on you, he is learning helplessness and progress is stymied.  If not having a diagnosis or proper remediation is hindering forward progress, a child is being further handicapped.

I wish I had compared learning disabilities to physical disabilities long ago.  I would have been a different mom - both in some great ways and in some not so great - I worry I would have pushed less which is a mixed bag.