Penny in Her Own Words: Dance and Dedication
What values are important to you? Penny recently thought about that question, and I love her answer—and that it’s connected to dance! (Scroll down to hear Penny read her answer.)…
Fear of the Future and Finding Goodness
I expected to need tissues on the day Penny finished high school. I expected a sense of deep loss, and perhaps even dread about what lies ahead. For many kids with…
Penny in Her Own Words: Graduation and the Future
Penny is a high school graduate! Here are her reflections on graduation day and the future: I can’t really believe you have finished your final year of high school! How…
Humanity, Belonging, and “An Ordinary Future”
Penny’s school reached out months ago to make sure they could special order both a robe and a cap that would fit her well—an example of belonging. How do we…
S7 E18 | Exploring the Good Life with Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D.
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What does it mean to live a good life? How do we find meaning and happiness in our everyday lives? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker…
Penny’s Final Dance Recital
I never ever imagined Penny would dance for twelve years. I knew dance was a good activity for her as a little kid with Down syndrome. It rewarded repetition. It…
Why Belonging Matters
I’ve been thinking about the difference between inclusion and belonging. These thoughts have mostly been prompted by all the end-of-high school events for our daughter Penny, who has Down syndrome.…
Penny in Her Own Words: Senior Project Presentation
Intellectual disability does not need to prevent young adults from learning. With support, encouragement, and room to make mistakes and grow from them, students like our daughter Penny, who has…
Penny in Her Own Words: Senior Prom
We’ve been talking about senior prom all year long, and I wasn’t sure whether the event itself would be a letdown after so much anticipation. But here’s what Penny, our…
screenshot of Washington Post photo
Biased Response to Patients with Down Syndrome
I just learned about a recently named condition: Down syndrome regression disorder (DSRD) from an article (read for free here) in the Washington Post. But I also learned that the…
