Toddlers like to stare at my bald head. So one time I turned around and smiled back and the little guy immediately starts crying. Bad.
Turns out I had the worst iritis ever (its kinda like pink eye but worse), looked like a zombie and probably traumatized the poor bugger for life.
Imagine being a toddler. Everything is new to you, including every person who’s not your family. Of course you stare, to take in as much information as possible. You’re not ready to judge, but you’re creating categories to help sort all that information. And you’re ripe to be influenced.
This is why it’s worth engaging with the toddler if possible. Your short conversation in this teachable moment can be the foundation of countless improved interactions that person has, with disabled people, and in talking with others about people with disabilities, and other differences, during their lifetime. They could even grow up to be a person who creates laws that affect you and your friends.
That’s adults. Toddlers just stare at everyone.
You are being studied. Do not resist.
“Mommy, why does that kid have a huge head?” – Me as a toddler pointing to a baby in a grocery store.
My mom scolded me and left embarrassed. As an adult, she told me that the kid did have an enormous head.
- this guy must have a lot of problems to solve
My father while we were passing a kid with enormous head.
Oh god, imagining this line being delivered in the most dry way possible really cracked me up
And it was both funny and kind of true. With that big head being a kid it must be terrible with other kids playing jokes on you.
I’m not disabled, at least not visibly, there might be a bit of neurospiciness going on in the background, but I do have kind of a unique look- shaved head, big beard, curly moustache, and kind of an interesting sense of style, so I get a lot of looks (and, not for nothing, compliments.)
The other day I was dressed up a bit and on my way to meet up with my wife to have a nice dinner. I was wearing a linen suit and panama hat, so definitely dressed a good bit spiffier than most people on the street.
As I was walking down the sidewalk on my way to this restaurant, this little girls’ eyes just kind of lock onto me like I was the most interesting thing she’d ever seen, and she just kind of starts wandering towards me, and walks directly into my path. If I’d been distracted on my phone or something I might have tripped over her.
She wasn’t quite a toddler, but not much older.
I didn’t mind it at all, I don’t really like kids, it was kind of funny, maybe even a bit flattering, but i could definitely see it getting old for people getting that kind of attention for things they’re not in control or proud of.
I thought they stared at me because I’m good looking!
You are! But toddlers stare at everything bc everything is new to them and they are just beginning the “making categories” stage
