If I don’t want a child with disabilities, I shouldn’t have a kid right?
I work with kids with disabilities. I love my job, and I love helping the kids and their families. I also enjoy coming home and being able to relax as it can be exhausting working with kids in general, let alone someone who has more needs. My husband and I have been trying to have a child, but it’s currently on hold. I would tell myself “the chances are low that I’ll have a kid with a disability”, but I don’t think that’s fair to the child if they do turn out “different”. I also have thought about how it may be “easier” to have a girl because there is less chance of girls having autism (obviously doesn’t mean they can’t be autistic). I see kids yelling or running around (more than a typical kid) and think “I hope my kid is not like that”. Again I love the kids I work with, and am fully accepting of them. I just don’t know if I could handle a child myself who has such high needs 24/7.
I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, no one is saying “I want a child who will have difficulty navigating society”. But I sometimes feel people may not think about it, or assume like me that “it won’t be them”. My husband and I discussed if we found out the baby had a genetic disorder in the womb we would abort the baby. However there are things like autism and adhd that you would find out about until later. I know I would love the kid no matter what, but I guess I see the parents of these kids and how stressed they are. Is this anyone else?? Or just me?? I feel so guilty thinking this but I can’t help it.