One of my favourite comments from a child this summer occurred whilst working at a playscheme. It was a horrible wet day and all of the  children had managed to escape the rain by using the stairs inside the building but I had to go around the outside and as a result got rather wet. When I came inside, a child saw me and when she noticed that I was soaked, she said 'it's not very lucky being in that is it because you can't use the stairs so you get wet'  so I said 'yeah that's true' and then she said 'but do you know what is lucky? You get to use the ramps!' this comment made me smile for days afterwards as it is this acute awareness of disability that is so lovely to see developing in children. It is also one that I find adults rarely have.

Adult reactions are often so extreme. Either I'm presented as some kind of heroic creature or people feel they can ask me really personal questions any time they choose. Whilst I accept that many people have not come across disabilities, are scared to offend me or want to show genuine admiration, there is a level of ignorance that I face more and more in my adult life which is hard for me to be sympathetic towards. I don't think people realise when they say one little comment that the words they use have any long - lasting effect on me but they do.  For example, 'if you can get a job, I definitely can' a well meaning comment I know but not the best choice of words.