Defect. If you just sit with that word a minute, what images does it bring up? I’m guessing they aren’t the prettiest pictures. Defect. Defective. Those words mean imperfect. Faulty. Wrong. They aren’t neutral words. In fact they are quite negative. But that is a word that we use when talking about brand new lives…
Tag: inclusion
Down Syndrome Awareness Month…
Imagine a world where we didn’t need to have this month. Where a diagnosis of Down syndrome came with a big CONGRATULATIONS instead of I’m sorry and maybe you shouldn’t continue the pregnancy. Where the worth of people with Down syndrome was never questioned. Where they were supported and given all the therapies and medical…
Disability is not a bad word…
Before Ivy was born disability felt like a bad word. A scary word. I tiptoed around saying it. Those perceptions bled into my actions and thoughts about people with disabilities. It affected how I handled Ivy’s diagnosis. After Ivy was born, it became a sad word. I didn’t want it to be a word that…
A letter to my typical children…
Dear Zoe and Eli… I saw your faces in my mind when the doctor said the life changing words, “Your baby does have Down syndrome.” My brain spiraled out in so many directions as the tears fell that day. What would her life be like? Would she live with us forever? Would she need open…
Representation Matters!
Representation. Every single human being deserves to see somebody who looks like them in movies, books, commercials, and toys. Unfortunately for far too long that has not been the case. People of all races, abilities, body types, genders, religions, etc. need to be represented in what we watch, read, and play with. Recently we are…
Why I want you to see my child’s disability…
This is something that has been on my mind for awhile. Trying to articulate my thoughts has been tough. As a community, a phrase that we use very often is ‘more alike than different’. We want the world to know that a person with a disability has far more in common with a typical person…
What my daughter with Down syndrome has taught me…
When we think of ourselves as parents, one of our main jobs is teaching. We teach our children to dress themselves and tie their shoes. We teach them how to be kind and polite. At some point in our parenting journey, we realize that we are learning too. As a mom to a sweet almost…
Have the Conversation…
A couple months ago, something happened when I took my kids to the park. It was an experience that I have lived from another side. Experiencing it from this side, from the side of a special needs mama, it broke me. When I posted about it on social media, I learned that I was not…
World Down Syndrome Day!
The date tomorrow is 3/21… World Down Syndrome Day! This day is officially acknowledged by the United Nations as a day to celebrate, educate, and advocate for individuals with Down syndrome. This particular date was chosen because it signifies the 3 copies of the 21st chromosome that people with Down syndrome have. People celebrate in…
Down Syndrome Awareness Month… Why?
I’ve been wanting to write this post for awhile, but as is usual for me, I struggled putting words to my thoughts! Part of why I struggle to write, is that there are so many ways my brain wants to go and I have trouble figuring out how to organize it all! Please bear with me…
My Incredible Ivy 