I’ve written a LOT about our family over the course of the past decade, and I’m glad our kids are old enough to do a little bit of writing for themselves. For the past few weeks, Penny (age 13) has written a note to a new parent of a baby with Down syndrome, shared her […]
AJB Recommends: Resources on Inclusion and Belonging
I’ve written about the posture institutions (and individuals) can hold towards people with disabilities (or anyone outside the normative social group): exclusion, tolerance, inclusion, and belonging. I’ve learned about these postures through a number of writers and thinkers, and I wanted to share three resources that have been helpful to me in considering whether I […]
Love Is Stronger Than Fear
When our daughter Penny was born and diagnosed with Down syndrome, fear felt incredibly powerful. The questions, the doubts, the potential medical complications, the prejudice against people with intellectual disabilities I didn’t even know I had carried in my heart for decades–it all welled up in a mountain of fear. I feared that I would […]
5 Bible Passages for Parents of Children with Down Syndrome
I’ve written several posts (like this one) on themes related to disability recently in honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month. In this post I want to share with you five Bible passages that have led me through thirteen years of parenting a child with Down Syndrome. These Bible passages have encouraged and grounded me over […]
In Her Own Words: Penny on Church and Faith
Penny has grown up going to church with our family. She’s also grown up with parents who pray, read the Bible, and offer sporadic attempts to include their children in various spiritual activities. But, as with each of our children, Penny’s personal faith and spiritual practices are hers to claim (or reject). I asked her […]
“Built for Me”: Belonging within Institutions
I’ve written two previous posts about the difference between communities of exclusion, tolerance, inclusion, and belonging for people with disabilities. This same paradigm has also helped me to consider the ways in which schools, churches, and other social settings communicate a sense of belonging to anyone who is outside the historical social norm for that […]
