Dealing With Public Perceptions

Interesting news item about DS
Down's births rise despite tests
More Down Syndrome babies are being born [in the UK] than before pre-natal screening became widespread, figures show. (…)

Wonderful Things I Wish We Didn't Have
Our weekend was really ridiculously busy. (…)

Acceptance Is Not Submission
This quote recently popped up in the little quote of the day gadget on my desktop and stuck in my head:
"Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation. (…)

Down Syndrome Barbie
Does the idea make you think, “Whoopee, where can I buy one?” or, “Oh God, my worst nightmare has just been realised.”
Before you go clamouring to write to the papers expressing your outrage, or to Mattel to place an order, I should just say Down Syndrome Barbie is not currently on the market. (…)

Am I Selfish?
Again, in celebration of the 2008 National Adoption Awareness Month, the following is an article I wrote for Richmond Magazine. (…)

The Invisibility Clause
It's an invisible illness, this immune deficiency gig.
There is nothing obvious about the girl to signal that she is different from her twin, her sisters, the kid standing next to her. (…)

Barrack Obama and the normalcy of difference
When the US Declaration of Independence was drawn up, it stated:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”

But George Washington, even as he signed this, was the owner of slaves. (…)

Sticks and stone and all that
Recently I had the opportunity to spend time with an autistic child.
Does that seem like a strange thing to say on a special needs blog? (…)

Snake Oil? I Hope Not.
Last week, an article titled “Reaching An Autistic Teen” appeared in the New York Times. As the mother of a 16 year old diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, my interest was piqued. (…)
Where Do We Draw The Line?
Could this 'one stop' screening test be the first step in the creation of Designer Babies?
What are the pros and cons or screening embryos for inherited genetic disorders? (…)
A Great Day for Up ~ Special Exposure Wednesday
My son, Lee…no crib could hold him.

Since he could pull to standing, he has climbed up, down; over, under; in, out; between, around…everything. Everything.
And still does. (…)

The Things People Have Said…
We've all had them. Thoughtless, insensitive and sometimes, the downright rude comment or question. (…)

Wonder In The Pumpkin Patch
It isn't often that we are able to load Parker up and go do something fun. But when the opportunities arise, I gotta tell ya, they are sheer magic. (…)
Special Exposure Wednesday ~ Grant My Wish, Amy
Special Exposure Wednesday - Share the Photography Fun

Sunday, Wil was fortunate to be included among a group of local youth to meet and go on stage with Amy Grant. (…)

I beg to differ!
**Updated to correct, it was actually Obama that said that "children are relatively inexpensive to insure." My apologies.
I’m not going to turn this into a political post. (…)

Photographing Your Children ~ Adjust More Than Your Camera Settings
Discovery, which is the heartbeat of good photography, occurs more readily when the photographer relinquishes self-consciousness for a state of humility and childlike wonderment. (…)

Filtering Friends
Does your child filter your friends?
I was thinking about this when considering who to invite to my birthday celebration in a couple of weeks. (…)
A Life Worth Living
I first read the article I'm about to share with you a few days ago. I hesitated for a moment to share it due to it's obvious religious overtones.
But the story is true. (…)

Talking About Your Child's Special Needs
Based on this post, many of you asked my thoughts on specific issues. Last week I began writing about the requested topics.

Talking to people about your child's special needs can be difficult. (…)