Is Independence the Goal?
Every so often I get asked, “Do you think Penny will live independently?” I’ve started answering that question about my daughter who has Down syndrome by saying, “I never want…
Developmental Milestones for Children With Down Syndrome
I used to love developmental charts and graphs and measurements when it came to parenting. Then I hated them. And now I’m realizing their value all over again. So I…
S8 E4 | The Measure of Intelligence with Pepper Stetler, Ph.D.
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What freedom could we offer one another as humans if we weren’t so stuck on the "treadmill of achievements and quantified learning"? Pepper Stetler, PhD, is…
You Don’t Need to Be Afraid
“God is with you and for you.” That line comes directly from our time at Hope Heals Camp in the summer, when campers make the sign of the cross on…
Using Our Strength to Lift Up
“The strength that we each have is to lift one another up, not to push people down.” Vice President Kamala Harris spoke these words to a young man with Down…
The Beautiful Thing About Offering Attention
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. According to the dictionary, awareness is “knowledge or perception of a situation or a fact.” Nearly two decades into this journey, I’m still raising…
Photo by Cloe Poisson
Down Syndrome Awareness Month 2024
Today is the beginning of Down Syndrome Awareness Month. In a world of distraction, I’m thinking about what happens when we pay attention to the beauty and hardship and possibility…
S8 E2 | What’s Normal? The Anthropology of Disability with Tom Pearson, PhD
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What does it mean to be human? Who counts as a human being and why? Anthropologist Tom Pearson has been asking these questions for a living…
Questions Every College Freshman Should Ask | Penny in Her Own Words
Questions from Penny that every college freshman needs to ask: ✏️Are there any students who know the campus, and is their role a mentor? ✏️Are there any school activities or…
Penny’s First Year of College Three Weeks In
After three weeks of college, here’s how Penny thinks it’s going (scroll down for her video)! How was your first week of college?!? The first week of college was both…
