Society often views parents with disabilities through skepticism, and assumes their disabilities render them inherently unfit or incapable of raising children. They are also patronised as “inspirational,” which obscures their parental capabilities and minimises their practical support needs.
‘Connections Part 2: Centering Disability and Diverse Parenting Journeys’ is our fourth self-learning manual. It explores the lived experiences of parents who live with disabilities and provides us with deep insight on the ways in which we can normalise these experiences. These parenting experiences shed light on the realities, the know-hows and light the way for a more enriching idea of parenting, one that holds the varied complexities of living with a disability. Through this manual, we learn not just the struggle in parenting with disabilities, but also the joy, wisdom and resilience embedded in it.
Design and illustrations: Paru Ramesh
This manual is broken up into 3 parts. Part 1 and 2 look at choosing and preparing to be a parent and being a parent with disabilities. Through lived experiences and questions for reflection, these two parts explore all the ways in which parents with disabilities are raising their children. Part 3 has exercises specifically focussed on questions to start some conversations with persons with disabilities on parenting journeys to help them uncover and value their skills and wisdom, to help them highlight their own values and principles and take action and make choices from a place of agency.
The manual is available for download here. [Note for screen reader users: This manual is best read on a pdf reading software after downloading it.]