I took Chance's brother Ammon shopping with me to Costco along with his younger sister. All was well on our shopping trip and we were almost done. We were on the very last isle at the back of the store, the furthest spot from the front door, when Ammon told me in a panicked voice that his implant battery was dying. He then informed me that we were going to have to go out to the car to get a new one.
I told him that we only had two more isles to shop and then we were done so we would get the battery when we got back out to the car.
Ammon didn't have his hearing aid in, so when the implant died, he wasn't hearing. And he didn't like it one bit. Three separate times as we made our way to the front of the store to pay for our goods, Ammon yelled,"We have to go get a battery right now mom!" or "Mom! We have to go NOW!" and "I am leaving right now mom even if you don't come!"
Ammon of course couldn't hear my responses and since Ammon is deaf and all, he was louder than your average shopper and he is 9. To the typical shopper at Costco, he looked like a rather snotty child who was telling me what to do. He was telling me what to do but that is because he was panicked at not being able to hear. This is why I am very careful about judging other parents in stores or anywhere else for that matter. You just really never know what is going on.
One special thing that deaf children can do when they can't hear you, is look away so they can't see you either. This effectivlely cuts off all communication. With your hearing kids they have to hear you even if they don't want to. It is their curse. Deaf children can block you out by looking the other way and that is what Ammon did.
I thought to myself that it had been a long time since I had a meltdown by a deaf child that couldn't hear me in a store. What parent wouldn't want to experience that again?
I ended up putting my arms on Ammon's shoulders as he leaned against some crates of books. He looked away, but I put my mouth right next to his right ear and told him he would be able to hear soon, and he needed to stop yelling. Then I told him a little private joke that he and I share. I don't even know what he heard of what I said, but he tried not to laugh and accidentally made eye contact with me again.
We made it through the store and as soon as we were in the car, his implant was full of juice again and my happy boy was back.
Wow, he doesn't like not being able to hear. I can't blame him, he has heard all of his life until the last year. I think he is attached to this being able to hear thing.
I told him that we only had two more isles to shop and then we were done so we would get the battery when we got back out to the car.
Ammon didn't have his hearing aid in, so when the implant died, he wasn't hearing. And he didn't like it one bit. Three separate times as we made our way to the front of the store to pay for our goods, Ammon yelled,"We have to go get a battery right now mom!" or "Mom! We have to go NOW!" and "I am leaving right now mom even if you don't come!"
Ammon of course couldn't hear my responses and since Ammon is deaf and all, he was louder than your average shopper and he is 9. To the typical shopper at Costco, he looked like a rather snotty child who was telling me what to do. He was telling me what to do but that is because he was panicked at not being able to hear. This is why I am very careful about judging other parents in stores or anywhere else for that matter. You just really never know what is going on.
One special thing that deaf children can do when they can't hear you, is look away so they can't see you either. This effectivlely cuts off all communication. With your hearing kids they have to hear you even if they don't want to. It is their curse. Deaf children can block you out by looking the other way and that is what Ammon did.
I thought to myself that it had been a long time since I had a meltdown by a deaf child that couldn't hear me in a store. What parent wouldn't want to experience that again?
I ended up putting my arms on Ammon's shoulders as he leaned against some crates of books. He looked away, but I put my mouth right next to his right ear and told him he would be able to hear soon, and he needed to stop yelling. Then I told him a little private joke that he and I share. I don't even know what he heard of what I said, but he tried not to laugh and accidentally made eye contact with me again.
We made it through the store and as soon as we were in the car, his implant was full of juice again and my happy boy was back.
Wow, he doesn't like not being able to hear. I can't blame him, he has heard all of his life until the last year. I think he is attached to this being able to hear thing.
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