Down Syndrome Awareness Month Opens My Eyes as a Parent (VIDEO)

on October 13, 2011 at 3:12 PM

more alike than different Parenting is hard. Parenting a teen is really hard. So parenting a teen with Down syndrome has got to be incredibly hard. Much, much harder than an "average" mom like me can even imagine. But October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and if there's one message the National Down Syndrome Congress is trying to spread with its We're More Alike Than Different campaign, it's that caring about somebody with Down syndrome is as joyful an experience as it is a challenging one.

And they're definitely getting the message across.

Watching video clips from the We're More Alike ... campaign featuring young adults with Down syndrome telling their stories, something struck me. Something they all had in common, from the college student with dreams of singing on American Idol to the teacher's assistant who likes to dance and "get his groove on" to the exercise enthusiast ...

... They all love life! They love their lives.

Most kids are jaded by the time they're in middle school. These earnest souls never lose the ability to be amazed; instead, they somehow retain the wonder of a toddler just discovering the world.

They're happy.

Realizing this made me feel ... ashamed. How dare I look at these families and assume their lives are more difficult than anything else? Maybe automatically "feeling sorry" for Down syndrome families is an insult of sorts. Who am I to say that their differences equal nothing but disadvantage?

And anyway, as they say, We're More Alike Than Different. Just watch.

Do you plan on expanding your Down Syndrome Awareness this month?

Image via YouTube

About the author Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance!

Filed Under: special needs, news

Comments (29)

MrsCareBear

on Oct 13, 2011 at 3:55 PM

My neice-in-law has Down Syndrome and is the sweetest little girl. And so SMART! I was so ignorant about Down Syndrome before I met my husband and his family. My wonderful little neice taught me so much.

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VeronicaTex

on Oct 14, 2011 at 5:48 AM

What an awesome sharing!!

I have my daughter, a Down Syndrome babe of 18 home with me.

I especially liked the part that said " These earnest souls never lose the ability to be amazed; instead they somehow retain the wonder of a toddler just discovering the world."

You just described my precious daughter to a T....

I am the blessed witness of this wonderous gift.

Veronica

babypup

on Oct 14, 2011 at 7:10 AM

I don't know how true it is but I have heard that the majority of Down's children are institutionalised and cannot function in normal society.... And those that you see in videos like this are not the norm.....

This from my gynae Dr who wanted to know if I wantthe Down's scan when I get pregnant. I am nearly 41.

Nonmember comment from Paulette

on Oct 14, 2011 at 8:38 AM

Thanks for a very respectful story. Families with children with Down syndrome deal with the same things all families deal with. We have a 14 year old with Ds and yes a teenager is a challenge. She is not more difficult than our "typical" teens were. But just as the other two were different from each other she is also different, aren't we all individuals? While she does maintain a certain innocence and delight in the world, she is certainly not happy all the time. To the person who made the comment about children with Down syndrome being institutionalized, that really doesn't happen anymore. It was the norm 40 or 50 years ago, but not anymore. Children with Ds who are brought up at home are much more likely to be able to work and live independently or semi-independently. If I were you, I would get a doctor who is more competent in advising you, yours is very out dated.

airadan

on Oct 14, 2011 at 8:40 AM

Your dr is sorely mistaken babypup! My son has brought such joy into my life, Down syndrome is so misunderstood!

Facebook comment from Kristin Brooks- Cristoforo

on Oct 14, 2011 at 9:55 AM

babypup....your doctor is wrong. I have a cousin who is in her 40's has has a job most of her life. She is the sweetest girl and loves everyone. She is probably the best person in our whole family! lol

Nonmember comment from John

on Oct 14, 2011 at 10:08 AM

My little brother was a DS kid way back in time when they called it mongoloidism. Such a nice term to use. He was the center of my world. I never knew such love from one person. When he passed away at age 13, I physically broke down at the funeral home and had to be helped to the casket. I had never cried so much or so hard, and I have never done it again since. I was a Soldier and a member of Spec Forces with 3 tours in VietNam and had never been hurt so badly. These children, like all children, can be pistols at times, but never, ever doubt that they are a gift from a God that only chooses the very best parents to receive them. You have been blessed to have this type of child in your life.

Nonmember comment from K

on Oct 14, 2011 at 12:46 PM

Babypup your doctor couldn't be more wrong. Please. Do the real research. And switch doctors.

Tnamari

on Oct 14, 2011 at 1:57 PM

100% agree with "K". That was the attitude about 40 yrs ago. Very sick. ( & just plain WRONG)

UneVieChic

on Oct 14, 2011 at 2:48 PM

I agree that babypup needs to switch doctors, immediately. I've worked with both children and adults with down syndrome and can honestly say they have been some of my very favorite people, to the extent that my husband and I are considering adopting a child with down syndrome at some point. A lot of special needs children used to be institutionalized, but we as a society realize how wrong and unnecessary that was and it's no longer the norm.