Magical Chromosomes???

When I was getting ready to go the the periodontist this morning (yay! not:), I heard a piece on the News about "Tim's Place", a restaurant in Albuquerque, NM.  This was one of those "feel good" pieces you sometimes hear on the news.  The hook concerning Tim's place is that the owners' son, Tim, has Down Syndrome and offers free hugs to all of his customers.  He is evidently at over 32,000 and counting.

Now, while I think this is a great concept and I would certainly go to Tim's for the camaraderie and one of his famous hugs, I kind of resented what the news commentators were saying about Tim.  Evidently they felt that Tim was so loving and friendly because of that mysterious extra chromosome he just happens to have.  You know, that extra friendly, loving chromosome.

I resent this supposition because it seems to be saying that the addition of a single chromosome automatically means that you are going to be a loving, happy individual.  There is no respect for the individual himself.  No respect for how his family nurtured him and raised him or how his life experiences manifested themselves on his personality.  In short, you are basically saying he has no control, no self determination on the kind of person he is or will be.  Ouch!  That's pretty condescending.

Personally, as a teacher, I know some kids with Down Syndrome who can be kind of cranky, even spoiled!  Horrors, that would mean they could be just as wonderful and awful as any other kid.  That would also mean that if they are horrible, it doesn't mean that every child with Down Syndrome is horrible.

No two persons with DS is any more alike than any two persons without it.  Yes, there are some medical issues and learning styles that are more common with individuals with DS, but there are other people without DS who have some of these same medical issues and learning styles.

 Stop using that broad brush people!

Just try and see what happens.

I saw this video on my Facebook page.  It was posted by Circle 21-Down Syndrome.  It made me cry with happiness just watching it, so I thought I would share :)  It was the 2009 winner of Tropfest.

 

Not a Downs syndrome kid

I truly hate when I hear someone say, "he is a Downs Syndrome child".  First of all, it is Down Syndrome and most importantly, he is a child first and he just happens to have Down Syndrome.  People, especially educators really need to remember that they are dealing with a child.  A child with parents who love them and siblings who care for them.  When we look at a child as a syndrome, we forget they are a human being.  We forget to treat them as we would want our child treated.  We forget that they have their own special talents and traits.  That their family has much more to do with who they are than does a rearrangement of chromosomes or metabolic issues.  Yes, it is important to know about medical, behavioral and educational issues that are associated with specific syndromes, conditions and disabilities, but that is only a gross picture of a person, each is an individual and must be experienced as such and cherished as such.

chance meeting of friends

I am on vacation in the Outer Banks of NC with my husband. Yesterday, while we were down on the beach I saw a little girl with Down Syndrome playing in the waves as they broke. I, of course really wanted to talk to her, but she was so happy in her own little world, jumping up and down in the water's spray and I couldn't think of a good reason to bug her momma, so I left them alone.

An hour or so later, I saw a young man with Down Syndrome, walking by himself, down the beach, his earphones in his ears, carrying his shoes, smiling. A few yards down, his mother was ambling along behind him. As a Mom myself, I'd say she was keeping an eye on him, while letting him have "his space". She too saw the little girl and immediately stopped to talk to her happily smiling and asking her where her Mommy was. The little girl's Mom saw her and immediately came down to meet her with a big hug!

These two women had never met each other before, but they knew each other. Later I heard the mother of the little girl say to her friends, "ever since she was born, I have met some of the wonderful people". When the young man came back our way, she stopped him and introduced herself.

I know eavesdropping isn't really very nice, but this is one time I am very glad I did it.