I know what will happen today.

But we start our walk anyway to get coffee in town.

People who know us say “hello, are you going for coffee”?

Yes, I reply we are going for coffee. It’s a standing joke as we go so often at weekends and in the holidays.

As we walk into town passing families.

Children of all ages stop and stare – open mouthed.

My daughter doesn’t see it but I do. I see it every time.

They crane their necks as they carry on walking trying to work out what they see.

What they see is an adult human being – just different.

I can see they are trying to work out: why is that person walking with their head down? Why are they walking so slowly?

Why have they got their arms linked?

What’s wrong with her?

What I see is my 20 year old daughter.

A beautiful human being – just like them but different.

If they ask their parents they are just called along or shushed.

I always smile at them because I know they dont understand that she is disabled.

They don’t even know what that means.

It’s just about acceptance and being kind.

I could say to them, my daughter was born with an extremely rare chromosome condition meaning she is severely mentally delayed physically delayed and non-verbal.

She needs one – to – one support every day and has no understanding of the real world.

How could they possibly understand what that means?

Its ok to look – not stare.

Acknowledge the difference.

Accept what you see is okay and smile.

Schools and parents please educate from an early age so children grow up accepting that it’s okay to be different and teaches appreciate that not everyone fits into one box.

Don’t exclude – include.

Often children with disabilities are living in a world that they have to conform to.

It is not their world.

If you can be accepting of a character in a film, on tv or in a book.

Then don’t be frightened, feel sorry or ignore someone with a disability – smile and say hello – get to know that person, you might learn a lot.

I know what will happen today but we start our walk anyway to get coffee in town.

My daughter doesn’t see it but i do – i see it every time.