Using Humor

“To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.” Job 5:2 (TEV)

One way we like to deal with the arm difference is by using humor.  We would like to encourage you to embrace your child’s limb difference in this way as well.  Let him know how proud you are of it.  Kiss it daily and laugh about it.  Make his arm a puppet, put a hat on it, and draw a face.  The only limitations these children will have are those we place on them.  As parents, we have a choice to make.... and our attitudes and ways of thinking will determine the body image our children will have for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. 

(UPDATE)  Something that surfaced when Keenan turned 2 1/2 was that he became more aware of his arm being different.  Up until then, he didn't really pay attention.  But now, when kids ask, "Is your arm broken?" he will get really quiet.  We would always try to make light of it when a child would ask about his arm and just laugh and say something silly like, "An alligator bit it off."  But, now that he knows what an alligator is and he is making sense of conversations going on around him, it is starting to bother him.  I felt like such a loser of a mom when I made light of it to a kid a few weeks back and just joked that the alligator had bit it off.  Keenan sunk his head into my chest and didn't want to talk.  I explained to him that it really didn't happen that way and I was just joking.  My husband and I told him, "WE LOVE YOUR ARM JUST THE WAY IT IS and IT DIDN'T REALLY GET BIT OFF."  I told him that he didn't need to be scared of animals that bite.  Anyway, I could go on and on, but mainly my husband and I just prayed really hard.  We prayed that he would no longer be scared every time he saw an alligator, bear, or tiger (anything with big teeth).  I prayed that God would reverse the damage I thought I had caused by using this humorous remark.  Since we prayed that night, there have been no more issues and he is back to his usual self.  I'm so glad God answers our prayers!!!  So, needless to say, we are not using the "alligator" reason anymore.  We are just answering people by saying, "His arm looks different and that's okay. It doesn't hurt and it isn't broken.  He can do everything using only one hand; isn't that cool!"