A letter arrives through the door.
A phone call needs answering.
A message requires a response.
These are ordinary parts of adult life.
As a Deaf mum, I think about what happens when communication isn't accessible and children are drawn into handling things that should remain between adults.
A child might offer to help.
Help find information in a letter.
Pass on a message.
Make a phone call.
Helping with something small isn't necessarily a problem.
But there's a difference between helping occasionally and being expected to understand, explain or respond to information that belongs to adults.
A letter might involve a decision. A phone call might concern something private or require an immediate answer.
Being Deaf doesn't mean I'm unable to manage my own affairs.
It means the communication needs to be accessible to me.
I don't want my children to become the solution when a service hasn't provided an accessible way for me to communicate.
They can be helpful without becoming responsible.
Letters and phone calls are not a child's job.
REFLECTIVE QUESTION
What happens when everyday adult communication becomes something a child is expected to manage?
