| Promoting friendships amongst special needs and | | | | compete for the attention. If both children can |
| non-disabled children can be difficult, but can result in | | | | participate in the activity, then it is best to include |
| lasting relationships. One of the biggest obstacles to | | | | everyone, even if it is geared toward one child or |
| promoting such friendships is the social taboo of | | | | another. This inclusion will help build relationships and will |
| disability. | | | | promote an understanding between the children. |
| This taboo can be overcome by educating children | | | | Another important part of promoting friendships |
| about disabilities. Like everyone else, children are often | | | | between special needs and non-disabled children is to |
| scared of the unknown; when they are unfamiliar with | | | | try and treat all of the children as equally as possible. |
| children who suffer from disabilities they will be more | | | | Every child is different and requires special care in one |
| likely to shy away from them. Educating all children, | | | | way or another, but it is important to avoid calling |
| disabled and non-disabled alike, will promote tolerance | | | | undue attention to these differences. By treating the |
| and acceptance of the differences between them. | | | | children the same they will feel as though they belong |
| This acceptance and understanding of one another will | | | | to one cohesive group, rather than feeling as though |
| pave the way for lasting friendships. | | | | they are two groups of children merged together. |
| Another issue that may need to be addressed is | | | | Once educated, children are often forgiving of the |
| attention. Disabled children often require more | | | | differences in others. With the proper knowledge and |
| attention than non-disabled children, which can make | | | | the right amount of attention, all children, disabled and |
| non-disabled children feel left out. This feeling of | | | | non-disabled alike, will be able to learn how to build |
| isolation may lead them to act out, either by ignoring | | | | lasting friendships with one another. |
| the child receiving the attention or by misbehaving to | | | | |