You can play a part in advancing inclusive education for every student this school year. It starts with helping your own children be more understanding and be compassionate friends to their classmates with disabilities. Encourage your children to find ways they and their classmates are similar. Maybe they like the same movies, games or both love animals. For more ways how to help your children understand and support classmates with disabilities, check out these 10 tips below:

1. Explain Differences in Simple Terms: Use age-appropriate language to explain that everyone is different and that disabilities are just one of the many ways people can be unique. You can put a positive spin on the conversation like, “Isn’t it neat that dogs can be trained to help people?”. Or compare their needs to something your child is familiar with, “Just like you need a stepstool to reach the high shelf, your classmate needs additional help in other ways.”
2. Emphasize Commonalities: Highlight similarities between the child and their classmate with disabilities. For instance, they might share common interests in games, books, music, art, sports teams, or activities. Encourage your child to invite their classmate to play with them at recess or work on a school project together—they might find out how much they have in common!
3. Teach Empathy: Encourage your child to imagine how they would feel in the other person’s situation. Ask questions like, “How would you feel if you needed help with something and someone offered to help you?”
4. Model Inclusive Behavior: Demonstrate inclusive behavior yourself. Let your child see you interacting positively and respectfully with individuals who have disabilities. At school events, include the parents of children with disabilities in your conversations just like you do with other parents.
5. Encourage Questions: Allow your child to ask questions about disabilities in a safe and respectful way. Answer their questions honestly and encourage curiosity without judgment.
6. Promote Patience: Teach your child to be patient and understanding if their classmate takes longer to communicate or complete tasks. Explain that everyone has their own pace and learns in different ways.
7. Highlight the Value of Helping: Explain the importance of offering help in a kind and respectful manner, but also to respect the classmate’s independence and autonomy. If your child wants to help but is unsure how to help, talk with the teacher.
8. Use Positive Language: Encourage your child to use positive and respectful language when talking about disabilities. Avoid negative terms or phrases.
9. Discuss Bullying: Talk about the negative impact of bullying and the importance of standing up for classmates who are being mistreated. Encourage your child to be an ally.
10. Celebrate Differences: Teach your child to see differences as something to celebrate and learn from. Encourage them to embrace diversity and be open to forming friendships with all their classmates.

These tips can help your child develop the skills and mindset to be a compassionate and supportive friend to their peers with disabilities.