Friday, October 3, 2008

Down Syndrome Awareness

It's Down Syndrome Awareness month. There's a challenge to post 31 days for 21...post on your blog all 31 days in October for Trisomy 21. I'm not so great at challenges like this with pre-set parameters. I like to make up my own challenges, but hey, we'll give it a shot.
I love kids with Down's. They are the sweetest, most precious babies! Ok, yeah, they're stubborn, too.
I had one in my preschool class one year. Each morning, we would go straight to the cafeteria to eat breakfast, and we would put our backpacks on an adjacent table while we ate. Everyday after breakfast as we were lining up, I would always call out "Backpacks!," so they wouldn't forget. This particular morning, I'll call her Suzie, comes up and sticks her foot in my face. I said, I don't know what that means, what do you want? So I modeled speaking and signing "Tie my shoe." Nothing. So I signed and said "Tie shoe." Nothing. I put her hand on my throat and said "Tie my shoe" and then placed my hand on her throat....nothing. I persisted for probably 3 minutes, which seemed like 10, gave up and tied her shoe. She walks away and clear as a bell yells "Backpacks!!"
I would love to share with you the most beautiful eyes I've seen recently!

2 comments:

Eve said...

They are such sweet eyes. I remember a show on TV with a child with Downs. He was a great actor. They can go on to do great things if given a chance. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and if Sarah Palin gets in there, I am sure she will see to it that there will be more help availabe for them.

Michelle said...

How wonderful that you are participating! Thanks for spreading the word and taking on the challenge - and for the comment about my daughter's eyes :)