Wednesday, October 31, 2018

The more we learn the better we become

Dear readers,

Today marks the end of Down syndrome awareness month 2018. As I have written before, it’s not just one month that matters but what we do every single day. Talk to your kids, talk to families with babies that have Down syndrome, talk to adults that have Down syndrome. We welcome the opportunity to educate and also get educated. Here are pictures for each day of October to highlight some misconceptions and some concepts that need to be highlighted.  Share with your loved ones and help create a more inclusive and more kind world.
































                                    

 
                                      











   


             





























I feel that people with Down syndrome were sent from above to help all of us become better people, andwould like to thank you all for the support you have given us and the love you have showered on Laksh. We are extremely grateful to be on this journey with Laksh and because of him, learn a new kind way to be a member of the society. So thank you for the understanding and sorry about spamming your timeline for the past one month. Please continue to be just as awesome as guys have been to us and everyone around you. Happy Halloween ðŸŽƒ

Monday, October 8, 2018

What is normal?

Dear readers,

For as long I can remember, all I wanted to do was fit in. All I wanted was to be normal. Being an overweight child, you always became the butt of the joke. I remember as a child, I would wish I would just look like the other girls so no one would joke about me. It took me most of my life to understand my body is different as I am unique. Even if I would lose all the weight, I would still not look like the other girls. I would be me, I would be different.

Once I had Laksh, and after most of the medical concerns were tackled, my biggest concern was this. Laksh is going to stand out, look different, and will that make him the butt of joke? Will that make others want to make fun of him or bully him? It might take him longer than other kids to learn things, will that make people lose patience or their faith in his abilities?

Even now, I sometimes find myself looking for that comfort of "normal", that comfort of "familiar" but then I tell myself,  God has planned a great and grand life for us and Laksh. God wants us to  help shatter the stereotypes and break the invisible box of restrictions that the society puts us in. And anyway, what is normal? Isn't that just a perception? Not long ago, unfortunately, there was a rule in India which said having homosexual relations is unnatural and not normal. But we know that is not true. One can't chose who one loves. Similarly, one can't chose what abilities one can be born with. So as normal it is to be Gay, why can't we as a society accept that it as normal to have different abilities (I am not saying being Gay is the same as having a disability but just trying to make a point). And it is okay to look different. All we need to do is always chose kindness.
I recently  watched  the movie "Wonder" (which is amazing BTW), in which the sister Via tells Auggie, that you can't blend in when you were born to stand out (I am para-phrasing). That sentence resonated with me a lot and I think isn't that something one should live by?  We should just take a minute to think, why do we want to blend in with others? Why do we want to mix in the with crowd? Why are we scared of looking different? Why are we worried that people will stare? Just remember, you were meant to be you and just be-youtifully-you. Thank you for reading.



 

Monday, October 1, 2018

How to celebrate down syndrome

Dear readers,

October is down syndrome awareness month. The entire month, we celebrate people with down syndrome. We celebrate being different yet being the same. We celebrate triumphs. We celebrate failures. We celebrate life. 

If you love someone with down syndrome or if you just love people and want to show your support, here are a few things you can do.

  • Talk about Down syndrome with your kids. Create a dialogue. Create awareness. Most of the mean comments come from ignorance. Help break that cycle and educate people about what down syndrome is and how you can co-exist and flourish.
  • Down Syndrome Awareness is represented by the colors blue and yellow.  Consider wearing the colors, and if you're on social media, post stories using the hashtag #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth to spread the message online. Tag us as well, using the hashtag #livelifelakshsize.
  • Remember positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to lead fulfilling and productive lives.
  • Watch movies, and TV shows which helps see people with down syndrome just the way they should be and create an understanding which in turn helps break stereotypes. 
  • Because every family deserves the opportunity to be blessed with a child with Down syndrome, consider a donation to Reece’s Rainbows VOICE OF HOPE FUND.
October is a month where everyone is encouraged to participate in the campaign against discrimination of people with Down syndrome. You can do this through financial contribution, writing of awareness articles and sharing them to various places. You can also contribute by participating in buddy walk. In addition, we hope that people accept them in the society and understand that inclusion benefits everyone.



"Remember that this is a very important month," wrote the NDSS. "We have to spread awareness about Down syndrome and learn more about ourselves."  

To the makers of the movie Mimi

First of all, I would like to thank you for opening the dialogue about Down syndrome in our Indian society.  Thank you for showing that a ch...