Dreaming and Planning With Our Teenager With Down Syndrome
We had a planning meeting last February for our teenage daughter, Penny, who has Down syndrome. Penny invited friends, family, and teachers to join her for this conversation. Dreaming and…
My Daughter With Down Syndrome Helped Me Understand Racism
How did disability help me understand racism? I am white, married, educated, and affluent. Our daughter Penny was born into many of these same categories, and yet she was also…
S3 E2 | Living into the Really Real with Micha Boyett
How can we talk about race and disability without conflating the two? How can white, able-bodied, neurotypical people enter into this conversation? What is the difference between “white fragility” and…
The Ordinary Goodness of a Life with Down Syndrome, Even Now
Our daughter Penny is 14. She loves Taylor Swift and Fuller House and the Yankees. She betrays many signs of becoming a typical teenager: she groans when I wake her…
Why I Won’t Tell You What Happened When Penny, Our Daughter with Down Syndrome, Went to the Middle School Dance
I've read a few comments over the years about how parents stop writing about their kids with disabilities once they are out of the elementary years. Some people suggested…
Is the Word “Buddy” Helpful in Programs for Kids with Disabilities?
The word "buddy" comes up a lot in programs for people with disabilities. When Penny was a toddler, our church said they'd like to get a "buddy" in the classroom…
