A look from a stranger when they see her walking away completely oblivious to your calls to her….

…Sorry She’s Deaf

A whistle from a life guard at the pool that goes unnoticed and a look that could only mean “get a hold of your kid”….

…Sorry She’s Deaf

When you realize that she’s not acknowledging a compliment from a cashier because she did not hear them….

…Sorry She’s Deaf

When standing in line for a ride at the amusement park and she walks right past the attendant telling her to wait…

..Sorry She’s Deaf

We recently returned from a trip where I said “sorry she’s deaf” more than I would like to admit. It occurred to me later how disappointed I was with myself for not recognizing what I had been doing all along. I was apologizing for Rebecca’s deafness not because she was rude or misbehaving, I was apologizing for something she has absolutely no control over. I was apologizing as it was the easiest way to dismiss the situation without really educating others about her invisible condition. It’s difficult for anyone to know, and in most cases they don’t have the patience to recognize that there may be more to the situation than what they perceive as a misbehaved child.

All of the apologizing has weighed heavily on me since returning from our trip. I understand that apologizing for her will only result in her thinking she has something to apologize for. She does not…. She has accomplished and overcome so much and I never want her to apologize for that. Its time to stop apologizing.

Deal with it! She’s Deaf!!