Kidnapping KSS

A few years back I was at a local park and a young lady with Cerebral Palsy was eating lunch with her family. She reminded me very much of my farm daughter KSS. She was just as bubbly and talkative, and she had on the most beautiful hot pink AFO's. I was swept back to the that time I spend with her and my heart warmed.

I then happened to catch her parents eyes and they stared me down with that "WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT MY CHILD - DON'T YOU JUDGE US OR HER - WE LOVE HER - MUST PROTECT HER - WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

I leaned over and addressed the protecting parents and spoke the magic pass word.

"Where did you have her AFO's made?"

As soon as I spoke that word that isn't common tongue, their defensive anger dropped and we discussed AFO's and raising kids with Cerebral Palsy.

That is one thing I noticed when I went out with KSS. People do not talk to parents with disabled kids. My best guess, there afraid its contagious? Or maybe they just don't know what to say. But as long as KSS was wearing her AFO's we were invisible. If she didn't have them on people had no issue telling me that my tantrum throwing three year old needed a nap or a spanking. However if she was wearing her braces and having a melt down, we didn't exist.

The most poignant time occurred when she was around 4 years old. We had ducked into Freddies to pick up something, and once that was done, we stopped to look at the toys. After a 1/2 hour it was time to head out. As I told her our time was up and lets go, she balked and told me NO and sat down.

If I can pick a child up, they do not get to tell me no.

I picked her up and holstered her and headed to the door.

She wiggled and screamed and and kicked me with her AFO armed shoes. I repeated calmly. "KSS out time is up, its time to go home."

When I kept walking she began to holler. "I DON'T KNOW HER! SHE'S KIDNAPPING ME!!"

I paused and readjusted her. "It's time to go home KSS." I repeated, solely for the benefit of the people near us. "we are leaving now."

She continued to kick and holler the rest of the way out of the store.

"I DON'T KNOW HER! SHE'S KIDNAPPING ME!!"
"I DON'T KNOW HER! SHE'S KIDNAPPING ME!!"
"I DON'T KNOW HER! SHE'S KIDNAPPING ME!!"
"I DON'T KNOW HER! SHE'S KIDNAPPING ME!!"

People parted like the red sea.

The looked and whispered to each other.

But not one person said boo to us.

Once out of the store I set her down and paused, waiting for security to come barreling out and tackle me and hold me at gun point till the police arrived.

Nothing. Shaking my head I turned back to KSS. "Can you find our car in the pumpkinrot? It's hiding, can you see it?"

Instantly distracted she grabbed my hand and headed out to help me find the car.

As I belted her in I felt the tears come. It ripped a hole in my gut as I realized just how easy it would be for someone to steal my daughter. KSS had done all the things we had taught her to do in the case of a stranger abduction....and no one had stepped up to help.

I cried all the way home.

That is when I began to give people those  "WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT MY CHILD - DON'T YOU JUDGE US OR HER - WE LOVE HER - MUST PROTECT HER - WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" stares.

Her situation made her a vulnerable target, and I doubled my efforts to keep her safe.