[Blindtlk] Blindness Misperceptions from kids

[humberto]

Hi dear listers:

Some time ago, somebody in here posted a really really 
interesting message with an interesting question that caused 
threads that hit the list with high fever and great discussions.
Today I'm here to ask you another question and to share my 
opinions. My concerns deal with the statement written in the 
subject line, blindness misperceptions coming out of children.
First of all, I have found an essay that was really interesting 
that someone posted on the National Students Division (Nabs) 
mailing list, that explains that adults have these outdated 
negative views about blindness, and kids have better views about 
it than adults, especially when they were raised or growing 
around blind people.
This person explained that her nephews had a more positive 
attitude around her and that they thought she was cool and could 
do everything by herself. They even think that it's not such a 
big deal being blind.
In my personal experience, this is not true. Often kids, when I'm 
walking by, think I am weird and ask me a whole bunch of 
questions that I don't know even how to respond to. Some kids 
think I can not walk, and some even say my disability (blindness) 
is an illness, which makes me upset and wanting to advocate them 
and their parents. One day when I was living in California, I 
went to a social gathering with my family and one of their 
friends had two kids. I was sitting down and I had my wonderful 
trusty white cane folded with me at the side, and one girl asked 
"Why is he carrying those four sticks, and why are there for?" Of 
course she asked her mom but we quickly told her what it was and 
what it was used for. At the time I didn't know anything about 
NFB philosophies and my blindness philosophy was not the one that 
it is now, so my Mom had to explain everything.
But now, when I'm walking down the street or even doing something 
that other people would do regularly, kids still ask me "Why the 
heck you have a stick in your hand?" Some other kids will just 
stare at me like non-sense and run away. Some others will talk, 
but yes according to myself, they would talk to themselves 
because I don't know if they are talking to me until I tell them 
"Are you talking to me?" And yet, when I was little, one day one 
kid even tried to hit me with a small rock, because of no reason, 
or maybe just because of a sign of disrespect toward people with 
disabilities, and even more, blind people. (or that is what I 
think now.)
The problem with kids, I suppose, from my personal experiences, 
is that their parents inherit those misperceptions of blindness 
into them and / or the kids get them from other people, or 
they've never been around blind people before or something. I can 
understand how they have never been around people who are blind 
before, but the parents issue is what gets me straight the most. 
Yet I don't even have the right time to advocate these kids in a 
diplomatic way patience being one of the factors. But the times I 
try to educate them about my blindness and being just a regular 
person, I don't know how to start engaging them, and they keep 
asking dumb questions.
Any opinions on how to say to them about positive attitudes of 
blindness, or how to diplomatically explain them? Have you had 
any similar experiences? Any stories you want to share? Any more 
concerns or issues? Any help is appreciated please.

Cheers, Humberto