A romantic date is a romantic date regardless if it is between two “normal” individuals or one with an individual with a disability. The level of anticipation and excitement is almost always the same. The difference would lie in that there has to be some preparations to be done to be able to deal with the aspects your date’s disability so that it will not cause any difficulty or embarrassment that could turn a possibly romantic occasion to an event that both of you would rather forget.
You may want to consider the following tips for a seamless first disabled date:
Acknowledge your date’s disability and be prepared to deal with it. Setting the stage for the dating process for people with disability could be tricky. Although we would like to try our best to act as normal as possible when with a disabled person, we should not totally disregard the reality that there are some requirements to be met to be able to cope with the disability. If checking out the venue in advance has to be done, then it should be part of the reconnaissance work just to make sure.
Know more about the disability of your date and if there are special conditions that have to be met to make him/her more comfortable, feel secured, such as being over sensitive to temperature, allergic reactions, fear of large crowds, or food choice, etc. Knowing these details will preclude you from bringing your date to places that will cause certain negative reactions or ordering food that can make your date sick.
Check the Accessibility of the Location. This should be taken into account when choosing the restaurant or the venue for your date. If your date is using a wheelchair, make sure that there are ramps or elevators for accessibility. If your date will be brought by a car, is parking for the disabled provided by the establishment. Are there restrooms nearby and can they be accessed easily? Can the wheelchair be wheeled in easily from the entrance door to your table?
Other Fun Ideas for First Disabled Dating. While the primary objective of a date is to get to know your date better, it does not have to be done within the confines of a café or a restaurant and engaging in an intense tête-á-tête or a mediocre banter.
Outdoor activities can be relaxing and fun as well and can bring out unguarded moments from your date such as a burst of unbridled laughter or passionate scrutiny of something that catches his or her interest.
If your date is artistically inclined, then a leisurely visit to the museum can provide you with rich insights about him or her or his or her personality and thoughts.
If you have common interests such as nature tripping, as long as the disability will allow it, you can have a lovely picnic in a park or go bird watching or watching the sun set or rise, as the case maybe, or you can engage on a friendly discussion about a topic of which you are both passionate about.
If you can accomplish the tricky part of the preparation, then hopefully the date proper can happen without a hitch and become a memorable, pleasant, and fun event for you and your date.
