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Posted: **Tue May 14, 2013 4:44 pm**

So, I've been going back and listening to some of the older/middle era episodes. I've noticed how few episodes there are with children with disabilities. As well as, how few characters with disabilities there even are.

Now, in all honesty, I think there should be more characters like this.

Not saying I want it to seem like every kid is always hurt or unhealthy or etc. I just would like to see how AIO would portray the life of a child/family with such disabilities. Whether it be the child, or a parent.

Why? Well, currently, it seems as every family/child is perfectly fit and healthy. There's never anything wrong. What if there was a family with a child in a wheel chair? There was one once. And it showed him as angry, mostly. He grew in faith, which was good. But his arc was mostly based on his beginning Christianity. Nothing that has to do specifically with the hardships of daily life with an 'issue'.

I would love to see how they would go about such a thing. A Christian family with a ill parent, or a 'broken' daughter.. How they would have to learn to trust God, no matter how hard life was. How would they feel about everything personally? You can imagine how many perspectives we can get from said ill/'broken' member alone. Much less the members around him/her.

Not saying I dislike how things are right now. I like listening to a 'world' where everyone's okay. But I would like to see how they would go about such a thing. Just like Jenny Roberts or Lisa Mulligan. They should try to fit more of this type of story within Odyssey.

Well, what do you guys think? Let's talk it up! (Sorry, PF. =p )

Posted: **Wed May 15, 2013 12:47 am**

Ooh. I think this is a good idea. A character or two with a disability. I wonder why they've only had a few of them. I guess it could be the same as the homeschooling episode they tried. They don't really know how it is so they're afraid they might portray it wrong. I still think it's a good idea for Odyssey to do or at least try. Each episode the character comes out in doesn't even have to be about his/her disability. He/She can just be part of the Odyssey gang and go along with all the crazy stuff.

Posted: **Wed May 15, 2013 1:58 pm**

Kaida wrote:Ooh. I think this is a good idea. A character or two with a disability. I wonder why they've only had a few of them. I guess it could be the same as the homeschooling episode they tried. They don't really know how it is so they're afraid they might portray it wrong. I still think it's a good idea for Odyssey to do or at least try. Each episode the character comes out in doesn't even have to be about his/her disability. He/She can just be part of the Odyssey gang and go along with all the crazy stuff.

Thank you. ^_^ And, yes, I agree with you completely. And I also thought the same thing. But it would be nice to see them try.

I'd love to have a story line with Ryan and a new character in a wheelchair (Preferably a girl, really..) and being on the basketball team. It could be really cool. (Yes, I have been thinking. =p)

Posted: **Wed May 15, 2013 2:19 pm**

I'm all for a family with health 'issues.' My family has two disabled people... So I think I would really enjoy to hear an AIO family that dealt with the same problems.
It seems that our whole world is filled with illness... So I think it would be relevant to have an ill family in AIO. And even if you don't have someone in your family who is disabled there is always someone you know who is disabled.

Posted: **Wed May 15, 2013 4:10 pm**

I'd be delighted to talk it up.
Interesting observation, Frog Face. While similar ideas have flitted through my mind, I never really thought about this. On the one hand, it's hardly unrealistic. After all, people with significant disabilities are exceptions to the rule. Odyssey is focusing now on just a handful of characters, letting us grow closer and close to them. That's a good feeling. And practically speaking, with such a narrow slice of people, it just doesn't make sense there'd just happen to be a blind person or someone in wheelchair randomly in the mix. Again, healthy people are far more common.
AIO has had shows with characters with disabilities multiple times. Bethany's pen pal, and Jenny Roberts, and Lester, for instance. It seems, for now at least, they're leaving the issue alone. They've already brought it up far more than your average show.

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