Through group discussions with my Sunday school class, we highlighted the importance of managing fears and recognizing that frightening situations can end in comfort and resolution. With the 2024 presidential election now behind us, I’ve paralleled these lessons to personal concerns about threats aimed at students and families with disabilities who rely on state and federal funding.
I know it’s not realistic to support every cause, every time an awareness day or month pops up on the calendar, which is why INCLUSIVITY is the single most important mindset we can foster to make the work of caring for all people as streamlined as possible, without sacrificing the energy we reserve for our loved ones.
I’m not going to justify the life of a person with Down syndrome, explaining chromosomes and how they give back to the community, and I promise to never ask you to explain or defend your child’s existence either. All I’m going to ask is for you to consider the possibility that raising a child with a disability is mostly about simply raising a child.
I never really knew where we would fit into this awareness month until January 2020 when Henry, Hope’s baby brother, was denied entrance to an age-appropriate preschool because of his upper limb difference.
Instead of being scared by tests and appointments, just buckle up and enjoy the crazy ride, because whether your pregnancy is typical or not, your baby will thrive if you smile, laugh, throw your arms up, and declare an unconditional love.
Hope’s equitable place in this world hinges on your ability to control the urge to return to a time that no longer exists. If you can’t do this for yourself, do it for Hope. I promise, when the time comes, she will reciprocate ten-fold the love you’ve shown her in this moment.
Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month! We advocate not because we want to, but because we need to. We celebrate because we can. Thank you for celebrating with us this year!
While most of our time home during the pandemic has been flooded with good intentions and expertise, there is little evidence-based guidance to draw from during what we all know is this “unprecedented time.”
Maybe you discover that it really doesn’t matter if your preschooler can tell the difference between a square and a rectangle, considering she conquered the potty and straw drinking on your watch since being home during the COVID-19 outbreak.
This year is a little different: we will celebrate World Down Syndrome Day in isolation, but never alone.