Responding to people who stare at your child who is deaf or wears hearing aids or cochlear implants can be challenging. Here are some practical tips on how to handle such situations gracefully:
- Stay calm and positive: Keep your own emotions in check and model a calm, positive attitude. Children often take cues from their parents on how to react in social situations.
- Educate and inform: Use the opportunity to educate others. You could say something like, “My child wears hearing aids because they help him/her hear better,” or “We are using sign language, called Auslan, to communicate because my child is deaf.”
- Use humour: Sometimes, humour can diffuse awkwardness. For example, you could say, “Yes, those are cochlear implants. They’re like superhero gadgets that help my child hear better!”
- Acknowledge curiosity: Understand that people, especially children, might just be curious. You can address this by saying, “Have you noticed his hearing aids? They are so funky nowadays, aren’t they? He loves them.”
- Set boundaries: If the staring continues and makes you or your child uncomfortable, it’s okay to politely address it. You can say, “We’d appreciate it if you didn’t stare.”
- Provide resources: For those who seem genuinely interested in learning more, point them to resources or offer to answer any questions they might have about hearing loss and hearing devices.
- Empower your child: Teach your child to respond confidently. Role-play scenarios where they might be asked about their hearing aids or cochlear implants, and help them practice simple, confident responses.
- Practice self-advocacy: Encourage your child to speak up for themselves in a way that feels comfortable for them. This builds confidence and helps them handle similar situations in the future.
- Ignore when necessary: Sometimes, the best response is no response. Ignoring the stare and moving on can be the simplest way to handle the situation, especially if addressing it would create more discomfort.
These tips can help create a supportive and informative environment, turning potentially awkward moments into opportunities for education and understanding.
