October is Down syndrome awareness month, and while I get the need to advocate, I'm kind of over it. I decided not to do the 31 for 21 challenge because there is no way I can blog that much, but I have been doing daily Ds facts on facebook. I think all my friends have hidden me for the month and I don't blame them. I live with Down syndrome and even I don't feel the need to know every little Ds fact known to mankind!
The thing is, Down syndrome is just a tiny part of life. I like it that way. It's part of what makes Eon, Eon, but it's not who he is. It doesn't define us as a family either. We're the Lakes. Sometimes we're the family with "all those kids", but Ds only plays a minor part in the drama that is our life.
I kind of feel like bringing this focus on Down syndrome is good, but I wonder if we're not also alienating those around us who can't relate.
In other news, Eon uses his first sign "all done" daily when he's had his fill of whatever babyfood dujour he's done with. We made such a fuss the first time he did it spontaneously, that I sometimes wonder if he rushes through his food so he can do it again! It's great to have so many cheerleaders in the family.
He dropped the ball today. Literally. His OT was here and he dropped his ball. He thought it was so much fun that he did it over and over again. She was so excited that he was doing it on purpose. Cracked me up! When the other kids acquired this little skill, I was annoyed. With him, I'm elated! I love to celebrate and he's teaching us to do it for all of our little abilities.
This is Joyce. I am right there with you. Actually, I just introduced a blog today that is not about Ds. Just a great read. The dropping the ball though, awesome!!! and I love how you describe your different reactions:)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the 31 for 21. I do really think it's great to advocate but I feel if I blog every day this month- I won't get as many readers because sometimes, enough is enough. I feel my friends/readers will start to get annoyed with the whole DS thing and not want to read as often if it's always about DS. Plus our life is very normal and I'd like others to see that and not all about Down syndrome. It's just a choice I made for myself but I don't mind if others do it of course.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on his first sign!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I don't ignore your status updates about Ds facts. I actually enjoy reading them. I am actually so blessed that you choose to advocate and encourage others to know more about Ds. Most of us don't have much experience and then what we do think we know is actually not really true, anyway.
ReplyDeletethis is a part of your journey in life and I personally want to be able to encourage, embrace, and walk beside you the best I can. I am really happy to hear that he's progressing so well in therapy and bringing such joy to your lives. What a great little man you have! (in addition to the other 3 men in your life....and 3 young women....). ;)
I get what you're saying. I'm doing 31 for 21 (and then totally forgot to post a few Sundays) but I don't do DS facts. I just blog like normal. Just like living with Micah is normal in our family. Just like he fits into a normal world. There are definitely "Micah" posts that are there because of the DS, but it's simply telling who he is.
ReplyDeleteI agree. My husband always reminds me to not blog so much about Ds because I get a lot of comments from friends that think my life is so hard. That's not the point of my Ds posts. It took me a year of blogging before I even mentioned Down syndrome. I never wanted to mention it because I wanted others to know my life is as normal as theirs but then I found other Ds bloggers and started posting on things I was reading about. It is definitely something with which I have to find balance.
ReplyDelete