The other day,(see last Thursday's post, 30/10/09)as Ricki and I were returning from the shoe store, Ricki had strode on ahead of me a bit, a bag with her boots in one hand, and a too-big-for-one bag of popcorn in the other. Suddenly I heard a shriek, and looked up to see an elevenish year-year old girl hugging her mother in fright, as Ricki looked on, bewildered. Apparently, Ricki, being in a good mood, had offered the girl some of her popcorn, and this was the youngster’s reaction.
Moments later I caught up with Ricki, and she burst into sobs. “What happened?” she asked.
“Obviously she was scared.” Did you make a face at her?”
“NO!”
I paused. "So maybe a different day, some time in the past, you once made a face at her, and that is why she is scared.....”
But Ricki didn’t buy that explanation, and walked home a bit subdued.
I just hope the mother explained to her daughter (better late than never), that people with Down syndrome are PEOPLE.......
5 comments:
I am a bit horrified at that other girl's reaction. Does that happen a lot?
I'm very sorry to hear this happened to Ricki and I hope she is ok. I'm surprised an 11(ish) year old would react that way.
It's good that friends from her old school are keeping in touch with her, hopefully in some way it kind of balances things out, although it really doesn't take away the hurt. (how do you teach kids to be thick skinned?)
How traumatising for Ricki. Did you tell her that nowadays people are afraid to take food from others? When we prepare Mishloach manot everything's wrapped.
No, this is not a normal reaction.
Maybe you could explain to her that just as she has some difficulties with things that are easier for others, this girl may get scared by things that won't scare most people, and that Ricki didn't do anything wrong, because she couldn't have known the girl would react that way.
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