Saturday, 7 September 2013

Weekend reading and viewing: 7th - 8th September 2013


I have Down syndrome and run my own business
Maureen Wallace, She Knows, 2nd September 2013
A Down syndrome diagnosis doesn’t mean a child will live with his or her parents forever and never have a job. In fact, individuals with Down syndrome are breaking stereotypes into bits and pieces — from running a restaurant to launching a pottery business.
Be sure to check out all three business owners' stories by clicking through the page links 1 - 3

Sound minds, double standards and the right to vote
Nathan Despott, Asher Hirsch and Daniel Leighton, Ramp Up, 6 Sep 2013
... Few people with an intellectual disability have fail-safe plans that will guide them through the enrolment, preference determination, transport and voting processes then ensure that it will all be repeated at future elections. This lack of support translates into low voter registration and even lower turnout ...

I'm no Oprah but my daughter has taught me empathy
Brendan O'Connor, Irish independent, 1st September 2013
... I'm not saying I'm Oprah now, but at least I know now that what matters in this world is not how you treat the important, influential people, but how you treat those whom society might regard as the least important and influential ...

Why People Have Such High Expectations of Parents of Children with Special Needs
Eliana Tardio, Living and Loving with Down syndrome, 29th August, 2013
What should you expect from a parent of a child with special needs? Nothing special and nothing different than any other parent. Expect to meet another devoted parent, fighting hard to make the best of life with his or her family. We are neither saint nor angel, we feel just like everybody else with some extra special challenges.


Farragut boy recognized for "surfing" picture
Emily Stroud, wbir.com news, 27th August 2013
Great local news video of a 10 yr old with Down syndrome wake boarding, and interview with his family. Story behind a Times Square Buddy Walk photo.

What does laundry detergent really mean?Margaret Bender, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Girl, 1st September 2013
The conversation started with "I need laundry detergent" and ended with "I don't want to be independent".  Over the years the words have changed but the meaning is always the same. Something is not right in Alex's world. Alex handles information differently than I do and differently than her siblings. This does not mean her feelings do not get hurt or she does not recognize when something is not fair - it merely means she needs time to formulate the language needed to share her hurt.

Why getting a slap in the face by the school counselor was good for me
Count to Ten, 30th August 2013
Ok … Not literally. The school counselor didn’t actually put her hand across my face, but she did send a jolt through me and ROCKED MY WORLD!

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