At the weekend I met my sister and my niece Bean at a playground we haven’t visited since Bean was tiny. It was lovely to be back in a park playing together. I was wearing a mask and being careful to keep my distance from my sister, Bean and from other families as well.

The playground has a roundabout that’s wheelchair accessible and while I was watching some children play on it, a little boy pointed at me and said, “What’s that?” I’m used to children being interested in my wheelchair and my tics. I was also one of the few people in the playground wearing a mask, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if they boy had noticed that as well.

I got ready to explain to him about my wheelchair, my unusual movements and my mask, but before I could, he asked a follow-up question, “Are they apples or cherries?” It took me a moment to work out what he was asking me about…

I laughed and then we had a long conversation about fruit. I was reminded how surprising and varied conversations with children often are. And it was a good reminder for me about not jumping to conclusions!