Teaching Children About Disabilities

July 26, 2023, is the 33rd anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

If you’re doing the math in your head, let me give you a shortcut: That means the ADA wasn’t passed until 1990. 1990?! It took quite a while for Americans with disabilities to officially be named a protected class as neither the 1964 Civil Rights Act nor the 1965 Voting Rights Act included people with disabilities — and the United States still has a long way to go in making our public spaces, businesses and communities truly accessible.

In honor of the 33rd anniversary, I wanted to invite a very special guest — Amy Webb — on the podcast to teach us about how to talk to children about disabilities. 

Amy is a DREAM guest of mine. She exudes passion for all of the things that she does, and that’s just one of the many reasons why I admire her so much.

Amy is an artist, writer, mother and creator of the blog This Little Miggy Stayed Home. As the mother of a disabled daughter, she advocates for the disability community through her writing and Instagram platform. She is the author of two children’s books. Her first, “When Charley Met Emma,” teaches children about disability, friendship and inclusion and her second book, “Awesomely Emma,” is a sequel that teaches the power of self-advocacy. Amy lives with her husband and three beautiful daughters in Ohio.

This interview is full of Amy’s thoughts and wisdom, and she teaches us about:

• Identity first vs. person first language.
• How to respond when our children point out disabilities.
• Why it’s important to never ever touch someone’s wheelchair without asking. 
• The importance of having a plan for supporting disabled children during emergency situations.
• How a place is not accessible if a bathroom is not accessible. 
• What action steps non-disabled people can take when we come to a place that is not accessible.
• The intricacies of the “just ask” philosophy