Act Like Your Kids Live Here

*

I saw this sign the other day ...

Credit: Jess Wilson

And I thought, My God, this is genius.

*

And I wondered.

What if we could litter the world with these?

What if we could make signs that said ACT like your kids live here?

Or, I don't know, maybe -

SPEAK like your kids live here ...

<Credit: Alamy
-OR-

ACT with the compassion you would so desperately want for them if your kids lived here ...

Photo by Samuel He / The Straits Times, Singapore 

-OR-

Before you forward hateful sh-t like this* ...

Credit: Facebook

THINK of how you would feel about it if your kid lived here** ...

Credit: Reece's Rainbow
-OR-

Before you make a stupid joke like this

THINK about how you would feel putting your baby on that bus every morning with your heart in your mouth because you have to trust so many people with the most precious thing in your world until that bus's return in the afternoon.

(OK, maybe that one is a little too long to go on a sign.)

So how about this -

Before you laugh along with this

THINK about how you would feel if your kid lived here ...

 Photo of my beautiful, autistic daughter and me by Kathleen Connerton

*

We're all in this together.

So Please.

ACT

 

LIKE YOUR

 

KIDS

LIVE HERE

*

* A high school acquaintance of mine put this up on Facebook. Not only did HE obviously find it funny, but the comments ran along the theme of "friggin hilarious, dude." Well, until mine, that is.

.

** This beautiful little girl is Clarice. She is desperate for a loving, nurturing home. Please click HERE to find out more about Clarice and HERE to learn about the incredible work of Reece's Rainbow, an international adoption ministry for children with Down Syndrome.

*

Jess can be found on www.adiaryofamom.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Follow Jess Wilson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/diaryofamom

Comments

[Lp2010]

01:45 PM on 03/26/2012

Thank you Jess.

[deadsparrows]

08:23 AM on 03/26/2012

it's depressing that this is such a common, and "acceptable", form of humor...the words and insults are just tossed around without a second thought. very happy to see posts like these, thx jess. anything that raises awarness, gets people to think more carefully about their words, is a good thing.

M

[themightyabealrd]

07:07 AM on 03/26/2012

Thank you....I thought maybe I was an old fogey because I have stared down foul mouthed people in public, at ball games, in lines at the supermarket...and, when they ask, "What's yer problem?" I point at a nearby child-sometimes my grandson right next to me-and say,"Cool it with the language-there are children here." Unless they're extremely inebriated, they usually comply.

[biggreenpen]

06:25 AM on 03/26/2012

Thank you for this important reminder. In a perfect world, none of us adults would need to be reminded of such a basic thing (treating others as if "they lived here") but it's not a perfect world and our children are watching every move we make, every joke we tell, everything we laugh along with.

[lunamireles]

05:20 PM on 03/24/2012

Society is improving because people like you stand up for what you know is right. Thank you so much for using the platform you built to kindly remind people to be kind. People don't like being told what they should and shouldn't say. Politically-correct has become something to snicker at. Your voice reminds us that not hurting people should be something we aspire to, not something we're made to do.

[allesgirl22]

05:59 PM on 03/23/2012

You are an amazing talent and you continue to inspire me in this journey of special needs. Although my daughter doesn't fall under the "umbrella" she does fall under the complete umbrella of special needs and your words transcend all levels be it severe or mild. They transfer among needs and truly do make a difference for those of us who are in this parenting thing together. Thank you for your courage to put it out there and inspire me to do the same!