I’ve noticed several posts on social media lately about parents with disabled children. These children have significant disabilities and will essentially require care throughout their lives.
Most of these posts present the situation from the parents' perspective. They often mention that they were aware their child would have a disability, but they didn't see it as a limitation. They express their commitment to provide their child with as much love and care as necessary to enable a life as normal as possible.
However, these posts rarely discuss the child’s perspective. Having experienced chronic illness myself and spoken to others in similar situations, I understand that while life may be challenging for the average individual, it's exponentially tougher for someone chronically ill. It's a continuous emotional and financial burden. There's a profound quote by Confucius that encapsulates this sentiment:
"A healthy man wants a thousand things, a sick man only wants one."
If you're considering having children but know they will be born with a disability, please consider other options. Adoption or pursuing methods to ensure your child's health are viable choices.
EDIT: I’m talking specifically about serious congenital diseases. Things that you can test for before the child is born and would impact their lives tremendously. Some people are saying “I know a few people who are seriously disabled and are happy”. I invite you to do the following; the next time you encounter someone with a serious disability, I want you to ask that person: “If you were having a child, and before being born you find out that he/she will have a serious condition that will make him/her disabled, would you have it?” That could give you a clear answer about this topic.
EDIT 2: For those of you interested in what a small sample of chronically ill people say, click here
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Personal hygiene is something almost all of us are taught from a young age- things like brushing your teeth, washing your hair, taking showers, trimming nails, etc. We encourage these behaviors not only because of aesthetic and social benefits (i.e. smell better, look cleaner, so on) but also because they play a huge preventative role against diseases and deterioration of our bodies. If we stopped brushing our teeth, we would likely develop plaque or gum disease. If we stopped showering, we would begin to stink and accumulate dirt, grime, and bacteria on our bodies.
As a society, we tend to encourage these behaviors fairly regularly, and often shun those who avoid these behaviors, and while I’m not trying to encourage bullying, I think this type of social correction is important to keep people clean and healthy.
However when it comes to exercise, the attitude seems to be a lot more focused on doing what you feel like as an individual; if you want to work out that’s cool but it’s totally acceptable if you don’t. This is the point I think needs to be adjusted.
Exercise is just as critical for health and appearance as hygiene is, with a sedentary lifestyle being just as bad as smoking, if not worse, when it comes to increasing the risk factor for debilitating and chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancers, and even depression. It also has the secondary benefit of increasing confidence and making a person look nicer.
Now I don’t want to suggest that everyone should become a bodybuilder, or work out with the intention of being a skinny legend, but we as a society ought to encourage and promote exercise to the same extent as hygiene, if not more. There are so many types of physical activity, many of which are available at no cost other than a little time (30 minutes a day or every other day) and little to no cost.
I feel like the carefree attitude many have with their bodies and physical fitness is harmful as it normalizes sedentary habits instead of encouraging everyone to be active in whatever way they can.