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Esteem Without Ego
“I’m really good at drawing.” It’s a very matter-of-fact statement made by Emily, a participant in the show Down for Love. She knows that this is something true about herself,…
S7 E3 | Netflix’s Down for Love with Robyn Paterson
Apple YouTube Spotify More! Have you watched the new show on Netflix called Down for Love? It’s a reality dating show for people with Down syndrome, and we’re celebrating the start…
Penny in Her Own Words: What I Thought About Netflix’s Down for Love
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month! To celebrate, Penny will take over my account once a week and share her thoughts about teenage life, having a job, school, and more,…
What I Wish I’d Known When Our Child Was Diagnosed with Down Syndrome
GET THE FREE DOWNLOAD On December 30, 2005, our firstborn daughter came into the world. It was an easy delivery—a little early, but not premature, no signs of distress or…
Homecoming and Belonging
As a mother of a child with a disability, school events can be rough. I’m talking about everything from dances to sports to eating lunch in the cafeteria. I don’t…
Using the Spiritual Imagination as a Vehicle for Hope
A few months after Penny was first born, I realized that I lacked an imagination for a good future for our family. What little understanding I had of life with…
Watching Down for Love
We took advantage of an unexpected early dismissal from school to watch the final episode of Down for Love. I’ll write more (and hopefully Penny will give you her thoughts…
TIME: Doctors Don’t Know How to Talk About Down Syndrome
Read the Essay: Doctors Don't Know How to Talk About Down Syndrome Any parent who has received a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis of Down syndrome (or any other genetic condition)…
Photo by by Ashley Monogue
“They aren’t special needs. They are human needs.”
“They aren’t special needs. They are human needs.” My friend Jay Wolf gave this beautifully concise explanation of why the term “special needs” is problematic. To say that his wife…
The Particular Faces of People With Down Syndrome
Penny and her friend Rachel call each other twins sometimes. It came about because they realized that they could open each other’s phones without a password. Apple’s facial recognition software…
