What if the kid doesn’t smile back?

Note: The term "midget" is a derogatory term sometimes used to label people with dwarfism. It's use here is to demonstrate how people with dwarfism can be incorrectly labeled, especially in ways that are dehumanizing and derogatory. If you hear someone using this term, perhaps you can remind the person of the stigmatizing nature of the word, and encourage them to simply refer to the person by their name.

I think when I was a kid I would notice it . . . I think [my parents] taught me that the way to respond to that was to smile and wave all the time or ignore it. It would put people at ease and it was very much my responsibility to make other people comfortable and to educate them. If I smiled and waved and the kid smiled back, it would automatically be positive for the both of us, and that was kind of their philosophy. So like, in the end it was going be beneficial to me. I think I felt a lot of pressure, and it became more of an insecurity, because what if the kid doesn’t smile back? What if, no matter how many times I wave or try to explain to them, it still would be upsetting, or they wouldn’t understand, or people would just be mean? I think my perception of myself was based on the reaction and response of others.