May 31 (UPI) — Zach Roloff says his son’s dwarfism is just “part” of who he is as a person.
The 27-year-old “Little People, Big World” star said in an interview with People that his own experience with achondroplasia will help him raise Jackson, his first child with wife Tori Roloff, to overcome the condition.
“The world is changing. People are more open to diversity,” Zach told the magazine. “Whatever he wants to do, we’re going to find a way to help him do it. That’s our job in life now.”
“[Dwarfism is] part of the whole package of who he is,” he added. “He’s happy and healthy. That’s all that matters.”
Zach and his parents, Matt and Amy Roloff, all have dwarfism and stand under 4-feet-3-inches tall, while his siblings, Jeremy, Jacob and Molly Roloff, and Tori are of average height.
The new dad plans to give Jackson extra encouragement, but not a sense of entitlement.
“You have to encourage a dwarf child a little more because it will take them five steps to do what other can do in two,” he said. “But I knew, dwarf or not, I was going to parent my child with the mentality that not everyone gets a trophy. You have to earn it.”
Zach and Tori welcomed Jackson on May 12, but didn’t initially confirm their son was born with dwarfism. Tori, who married Zach in 2015, gushed about her new role as mom in a post May 15.
“My heart is so unbearably full. I’ve only spent 4 days with this little guy and I have fallen In love completely with him,” she wrote. “This is what I was meant to do. Mommy loves you, Jackson!”
