People on the Internet can make wild assumptions about you, and some are more harmful than others. One mother from New York took to TikTok and dispelled any notion that her children weren’t missing out, given that her and their father use wheelchairs. Instead, she wanted to share the distinct and wonderful ways her family is different. Although Stephanie agrees that concern is “valid,” she argues that it doesn’t matter anyway because her kids “live pretty great lives.”
“Ways my kids are growing up different because we use wheelchairs,” says Stephanie (TikTok/wctriplets) in her TikTok video. She then recounts a time her son, who was five years old at the time, asked for his own wheelchair. When she broke the news to him that he wouldn’t get one unless necessary, he was “devastated.” However, all is well because both Stephanie and Ryan let their kids play on theirs, even outside. “Any given Spring day, you will see out kids playing in wheelchairs, just looking our driveway in wheelchairs. And they’re having a great time!” says Stephanie.
Another difference Stephanie brings up is the fact her children are a lot more familiar with how wheelchairs work. Before her triplets knew how to walk, “they knew how wheelchairs worked.” She explains that they understood the joystick as well as how to power the chair and get around that way.
Even soothing the younger ones and sports are done slightly differently, like driving in circles to put children to sleep and “wheelchair basketball.” She jokes though that her kids don’t know anything about “leg basketball” but are well-versed in the rules of wheelchair basketball.
Best of all, Stephanie has noticed her children are “comfortable and confident” in their own bodies because their parents are. “They know that they have disabilities that are different than ours, but they are proud of who they are,” Stephanie says. And they’ll even “advocate” for themselves and their parents.
How People Reacted to Stepanie’s Response Video to Worried Viewers
The comments of Stephanie’s wholesome TikTok video were overwhelmingly understanding. Additionally, many felt the naysayers were just flat out wrong. Given how Stephanie talks of her children, it sounds like a regular family.
“They’re going to be really good at noticing accessibility issues in public, as well,” one commenter wrote. Another TikTok user responded, saying hearing problems in their family was what got them “excited” over an “audio and visual system” built for helping patients.
One commenter named Julie wrote that anyone feeling bad “is insulting,” nor does it “require legs.” She then praised Stephanie and Ryan for being “incredible parents.”
Another commenter spoke of their mother’s paralysis, stating it didn’t impact them “negatively.” Instead, they are actually “extremely protective” of disabilities and “advocate” for wheelchair users. They also said they too “played on wheelchairs” and shared they got pretty good at it!
More importantly, Stephanie herself had shared in the caption of her TikTok video that her children are “happy, thriving little well-rounded advocates who embrace difference and love everyone.” Clearly Stephanie and Ryan’s children are growing up fine, albeit much more conscious of disabilities. That’s a good thing!
