S6 E15 | World Down Syndrome Day and Unexpected Gifts with Jillian Benfield
On World Down Syndrome Day, Jillian Benfield, author of The Gift of the Unexpected, talks with me about whether it is hard to be the parent of a child with…
On World Down Syndrome Day, Jillian Benfield, author of The Gift of the Unexpected, talks with me about whether it is hard to be the parent of a child with…
I love World Down Syndrome Day. It’s a day to simply pause and celebrate the goodness of a world with people with Down syndrome in it. It’s a day to…
What novels have you read, recently or in a long-ago English class, that involve characters with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities? I’ve been thinking for a long time about…
When Penny was first born, an older Christian woman with a child with Down syndrome came to visit. She told me how her church hadn’t wanted to baptize her daughter…
Each year, a team of friends, family, educators, and community members gathers to support and encourage Penny as we plan for her future. This annual meeting is called a PATH.…
All of us as parents walk a thin line between supporting our kids appropriately and offering them too much support. Honestly, it’s even harder to know the balance when your…
I walked into the gym a few minutes late. Penny was perched on the sidelines along with the other cheerleaders. The boys’ basketball team had taken a slight lead. I…
I felt pretty skeptical about Night to Shine. If you aren’t familiar with this event, it’s an annual gathering for teenagers (and adults) with disabilities, hosted by churches, and sponsored…
One of my shining moments as a mother was forcing Penny to try out for cheerleading last year. I told her she didn’t have to participate if she made it,…
So here’s a sentence I didn’t think I would ever type: we went skiing as a family. I have not been skiing in over twenty years. And then there’s Penny.…