Signing with my 3yr old at the grocery store

[justagirl]

So the other day my son and I went shopping for a few groceries and we where over in the bakery section and he asked if he could have a donut. (signing and gesturing the best he could) I signed back yes and told him to pick out what he wanted. We are signing and doing our best to communicate back and forth...when this man comes along with his little boy ( around 7 or 8 years old) also wanting a donut.

Kids and donuts. LOL

Anyway, the man noticed that I was signing to our son and he struck up a conversation with me. Either way it came down to me saying my son is deaf. And the guy said, "Really?" and did a double take at my son and gave a look like my son was from Mars. I guess he was trying to see if he had HA's???? He asked me how was my son deaf. I said it's genetic. And he wanted to know if it could be fixed or if it was permanent. I said yes, it's permanent. (have you noticed that I held on to my temper? only because he had his son with him.) Then he said, what we all hate to "hear..."I'm sorry but miracles can happen you just have to have faith.

GRR.....THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH MY SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His little boy was really sweet and asked me if I could show him how to sign the letter "z". Honestly I know that the man probably didn't mean anything by what he said and was just being curious. But I really wish people wouldn't think that there is something wrong with my child because he can't hear. It made me realize how much I am going to be "hearing" and seeing that type of "prejudiced" again. I got it a lot when I was young, not so much as an adult...probably because I keep to myself and have only a few close friends. But there is the huge mamma bear in me that just wants to smack the stupid out of people.

His little boy made me smile though, he was honestly interested in learning to sign the letter "z" and it was cute to watch him do it a couple of times. I guess it all evens out...the dad made me want to groan and smack my head and the little boy made me smile with warm affection.

 

[MirandaH1994]

That's adorable, the little boy being so passionate about the letter z. lol. My baby cousins were born tongue tied and their birth mother didn't have it fixed when they were small, so my aunt (their adoptive mother) taught them sign language from baby sign videos and that is their main form of communication. The boy just got his tongue clipped a few months ago and is talking wonderfully. I feel that because he learned sign and speech at the same time it increased his vocabulary and comprehension a ton. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you or your son! Good job for holding in the mamma bear

 

[needsleep]

That sounds absolutely adorable! I love little kids and their unstoppable curiosity. ♥

As far as the father goes, good for you for not beating his face in! I'm not sure I could have controlled myself nearly as well.

 

[soulchill]

Kids are good like that. I've been getting my lessons at a library, and my tutor started signing me that the little girl behind me was watching us. She had a big smile on her face when I turned around.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

That's adorable, the little boy being so passionate about the letter z. lol. My baby cousins were born tongue tied and their birth mother didn't have it fixed when they were small, so my aunt (their adoptive mother) taught them sign language from baby sign videos and that is their main form of communication. The boy just got his tongue clipped a few months ago and is talking wonderfully. I feel that because he learned sign and speech at the same time it increased his vocabulary and comprehension a ton. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you or your son! Good job for holding in the mamma bear

Yeah, I was a mamma bear with my child too and I would not been as good with holding back my GRRR.

 

[justagirl]

Yeah, I was a mamma bear with my child too and I would not been as good with holding back my GRRR.

It was hard...I just bit my tongue and told myself...be nice, he is uneducated and he is with his son. I'm not sure if I will be able to hold my temper like that when my son gets older. I don't want my son thinking there is something wrong with him, when there isn't. You know what I mean?

Oy, people... scratch that....Oy, (some)hearing people ...

 

[whatdidyousay!]

It was hard...I just bit my tongue and told myself...be nice, he is uneducated and he is with his son. I'm not sure if I will be able to hold my temper like that when my son gets older. I don't want my son thinking there is something wrong with him, when there isn't. You know what I mean?

Oy, people... scratch that....Oy, (some)hearing people ...

I know what you mean , I still deal with uneducated people all the time. I know someone that keep asking me if I drive a car. I have to try my best not to say something to made the person feel stupid for asking such a dumb question.
If I see her again and she ask me that question one more time, I will say something.

 

[justagirl]

I know what you mean , I still deal with uneducated people all the time. I know someone that keep asking me if I drive a car. I have to try my best not to say something to made the person feel stupid for asking such a dumb question.
If I see her again and she ask me that question one more time, I will say something.

Did she not understand it the first time you told her? I just don't get people, why do they think there is something mentally wrong with us?

Then people wonder why we are so "mean"...it's like, how many times do I have to tell you??? Maybe we should spell it out slowly and loudly for them, like they do it to us sometimes?

 

[Bebonang]

That is why I am having problem with myself trying to explain about deafness and why hearing people think there there is way to cure hearing loss. Also I have tried many times when people talked to me as if I can lipread pretty well or thought that I could pick up the words when hearing with my hearing aid. I am really frustrated with this. They expect me to be like them when they have no idea about the deaf world.

Well, I am an old mean bitch every time I typed out what I thought they are saying what they are saying to think it is fantasy or think we should be cure or what? That is what make me mad. I just want to straighten hearing people out about deafness and it is not a fantasy. Geeze.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

Did she not understand it the first time you told her? I just don't get people, why do they think there is something mentally wrong with us?

Then people wonder why we are so "mean"...it's like, how many times do I have to tell you??? Maybe we should spell it out slowly and loudly for them, like they do it to us sometimes?

I told she yes I drive when she asked me two time. I did not spell it out to her as I was trying to save her face and not make her look real dumb. Maybe people think we're Extra-Terrestrial and uses our HA to get around with too.
who know what does through other people brains.

 

[rockin'robin]

Well...you gotta have a sense of humor...I was asked twice this week..."Do You Drive"?....and I replied..."Oh yeah...like hell."...One lady was around my age, and she was really surprised...the other lady was in her 30's, and seemed more or like understanding.....No sense in getting angry, upset, frustrated and mad about it anymore...gonna give urself ulcers....

Plus, you can't educate everybody....a few words of wisdom goes a long way, along with a sense of humor....You can be nice, but firm.

 

[CSign]

Well...you gotta have a sense of humor...I was asked twice this week..."Do You Drive"?....and I replied..."Oh yeah...like hell."...One lady was around my age, and she was really surprised...the other lady was in her 30's, and seemed more or like understanding.....No sense in getting angry, upset, frustrated and mad about it anymore...gonna give urself ulcers....

Plus, you can't educate everybody....a few words of wisdom goes a long way, along with a sense of humor....You can be nice, but firm.

I wish there was a :greatpost: icon, but since there isn't this will do

Fantastic points... I totally agree... I'd like your post twice, but my phone doesn't possess those powers...