Friends with Disabilities

Everyone needs friends. Friends are people who support us emotionally and morally, who see things from our point of view, who give us feedback which allows us to grow. We think of our friends as people who choose us for ourselves, not because they have to, and who will be there for us when we are facing a crisis. Friends allow us to see things in different ways, spark the imagination, and better exposes us to the world. Friendships between people with and without disabilities enrich the lives of both, in several ways.

If we want the people we love to be connected to others and a part of their society as adults, we must think about their relationships when they are children. Their classmates and neighbors will grow into their coworkers and friends later in life.

Integrated classrooms and recreational activities are important first steps: in these settings children with and without disabilities get to meet each other. But many parents have found that even though their child is integrated in school, she or he has few non-disabled friends.

Many individuals with disabilities live largely in a world made up of their family, the people who take care of or provide services to them, and others in the programs they participate in. These relationships can clearly be significant and should be encouraged. But outside of family members, people may have no freely given and chosen relationships.

Relationships with those that are disabled shouldn't be viewed as burdensome or demanding, but as enriching and fulfilling. The level of care that comes of it truly constitutes as "unconditional love".