Episode Details

Whether they notice a wheelchair, limb difference, or how parents respond to disabilities, kids pick up on physical differences earlier than we think. Raising Us host Elise Hu is joined by team USA’s three-time Paralympic gold medalist Alana Nichols as she reflects on her life-changing injury and how representation and community really matters, especially for kids with disabilities. 

Later in the episode, disability rights activist, writer, and educator Emily Ladau discusses how to raise kids who view disabilities with respect and opportunities for curiosity, rather than discomfort. Both Alana and Emily offer practical advice for parents on where to get involved, ways to be allies and not bystanders, or even how to start that first conversation to normalize disabilities and physical differences.

Key Takeaways:
Be mindful of how to make your community or neighborhood more accessible.
Consistently have conversations about disabilities at home to normalize the topic everywhere.
Approach your child’s vulnerability with a curiosity to encourage new things.
Expand your child’s community by introducing role models they can see themselves in.
Get involved with local organizations that support people with disabilities.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GBsNgrmzxfdhOkSW1QRC1lqnVwbmp_CcCm2uSnRRg4c/edit?tab=t.0

⏱️ Timestamps:

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Learn more from Alana Nichols: https://www.instagram.com/alanathejane

Learn more from Emily Ladau: https://www.instagram.com/emilyladau

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