Supporting Penny’s Goals
I used to be afraid to set goals for our daughter Penny, who has Down syndrome. It felt like if we didn't meet those goals, we would be passing judgment…
What advice would you give someone who is trying to make a plan for their future?
Penny and I did a presentation together at Hope Heals Camp about taking steps to plan for the future. If you want great advice and info from an 18-year-old who…
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…
Life in the Woods
There was a day when I realized that no doctor would ever emerge to say about Penny having Down syndrome, “It was touch and go for a while there, but…
Using Our Spiritual Imaginations to Envision a Good and Possible Future
I get overwhelmed easily when I think about the future, especially as Penny is about to turn 18. We need to make decisions with her about guardianship and transition planning…
COGNOSCENTI | The future I imagine for my daughter
The future is uncertain. After high school, should Penny go to a community college? Will she be segregated and only socialize with peers with intellectual disabilities? I experienced a similar…
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An Uncertain Path
I mentioned to Peter the other day that I do not know the path ahead. Am I going to write another book? Should I double down on taking classes for…
Dreaming for the Future
When Penny was younger, I resisted setting goals for her. The early years of her life were full of measurements and yardsticks and a sense of "falling short" of developmental…
