Day 5 of the 31 for 21Challenge
I have a cool relationship with the students of Shepherds
College. I’m not one of their teachers so the behaviors associated with the
classroom don’t apply when they see me. I don’t pass their meds, I don’t assign
chores, I’m not responsible for their discipline, and I don’t tell them what
time they have to turn out the lights.
I’m the woman who writes about them and takes a lot of
pictures. I walk down the hallways with a camera, a notebook and an open invitation
to talk. When they see me, a few shy students hide, but mostly I get big
smiles, high fives, hugs, invitations to hang out with them, and a lot of
posing for the camera along with requests to “Put that one on Facebook!”
 |
| Kameelah |
I’ve fallen in love with these guys. They are a part of my
work, my life and my world. I consider them friends.
 |
| Lindsay |
 |
| Sam |
 |
| Sean |
Because they are my friends, I learn all I can about them so
I can represent them and their experiences at Shepherds College accurately and
well.
A part of learning about them is learning about their
disability so I do a lot of reading, especially blogs. With their first-hand
knowledge, blog writers – good ones – are honest with their emotions and show a
depth of understanding that only intimate familiarity with the subject can
bring.
Since it’s National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I want to
direct you to some of my favorite blogs on this disability. Grab a cup of
coffee or a hot chocolate on this fall day, get comfy and start reading. Share
the links and invite your friends to read these with you. Talk about them
later. Were they hard to read? Too brutal in their honesty? Could you relate to
their stories as a parent? Did they make you cry? Have you struggled over the
same issues as the writers? And most importantly, did these blogs give you a
greater understanding of people with Down syndrome and the people who love
them? I hope so. It’s the point of this month – to build awareness of Down
syndrome, to include people with Down syndrome in your community, and to accept
people of all abilities into your
world.
 |
| Caroline |
Happy reading!
1. Gillian Marchenko - http://www.gillianmarchenko.com/
Gillian writes about stumbling faith, Down syndrome,
adoption, grace, the occasional spoonful of peanut butter & sometimes the
whole jar.
2. Ellen Stumbo: A Mom that Writes - http://www.ellenstumbo.com/the-blog/
Ellen is a mom writing about finding beauty in brokenness.
This month she is sharing her story of finding out her daughter had Down
syndrome and the first few weeks of her life.
3. A Perfect Lily - http://babynumber10.blogspot.com/
Patti started this blog
during the pregnancy of her tenth child, Lily Anne. Lily’s birth,
diagnosis and life made a profound impact on their family and the lives
around them. Patti hopes this blog makes a profound impact on yours.
Anna originally started this blog as a means
to keep everyone updated about Ellie's health status and to educate her friends
and family about Down syndrome and sensory processing disorder [SPD]. In
the past year, her blog has evolved to include a snapshot of their day-to-day
lives, developmental progress reports, and entertaining stories about her
4-legged fur babies and husband's DIY endeavors.
We shouldn't be Us and Them. We are all just parents and people trying
to listen and live. Through this blog, Tiffany is hoping to lift the veil
between us with peeks at her life with her daughter with Down syndrome.
Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.
No comments:
Post a Comment