Children with Special Needs

Congenial conversation - what a pleasure! The right word at the right time - beautiful! Proverbs 15:23 The Message

I have been a cashier at a grocery store for 12 years. In that time I have been unsure how to handle interactions with certain members of our community - children with special needs. Some of these individuals can't speak, some are crying, some are yelling and I just didn't know what to do. I felt convicted that I should say hi to the child as well as the parent. So recently I had a child with special needs come through my line with her mother. I said hi to the mother then said hi to the approximately 8-year-old child. She didn't say hi back but the mother immediately engaged me in conversation. She said her daughter got so excited about going to school. 

"Does she like school?" I asked. 

"She loves school!" Her mother seemed quite appreciative to talk to me. I finished scanning her groceries and told her to have a good day, and she left.

Later I told a teacher friend of mine about the experience because I was unsure if it had gone well. My friend said, "You did great. You acknowledged the existence of her daughter when a lot of people look away, and you gave her a chance to talk about her daughter."

I felt good that for once I had handled the situation well. "The right word at the right time - beautiful!"

Prayer: Dear Lord, it is so easy to look away when we come across children with special needs. Help us to treat them as members of our community, greet them and make their families feel welcome. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Nancy Brumbaugh