Love often shows up in practical ways.
Helping.
Supporting.
Stepping in when someone needs you.
As a Deaf mum, I think about the difference between caring for someone and carrying responsibilities that aren't yours.
A child may want to help because they love their parent.
They may feel proud to be trusted.
They may genuinely enjoy being useful.
None of that is necessarily a problem.
But love doesn't automatically make a responsibility appropriate.
Knowing how a parent communicates doesn't mean a child should be expected to interpret at appointments, explain important decisions or manage private information.
When I need accessible communication with a service, arranging that access shouldn't fall to my children.
They can love me, support me and be part of ordinary family life without being expected to fill gaps in professional communication support.
Not every conversation needs a professional interpreter. But when professional support is needed, a child's willingness to help shouldn't replace it.
Love should be free to remain love.
It should never have to carry the weight of professional access.
REFLECTIVE QUESTION
What might we overlook when a child's love and willingness to help become substitutes for appropriate communication support?
