I woke up on the nauseous side of the bed this morning, World Down Syndrome Day.
Micah came in, hacking and heaving, Mack was drenched in snot and Moxie is not only sick but is on some kick where she pushes me away and wants nothing to do with me. I want to tell her that after a 22 hour home birth, that is not an option. But she’s almost 3 and this is just part of the craptastic finale of the two’s. At least I hope that’s it.
Anyway.
So, I read loads of the kick ass posts for the Bite Sized Blog Hop going on (this blog! check it out!) and despite not feeling well, I felt warm and fuzzy about the Down syndrome Community.
I love, love, love how so many of us are striving for something better for our kids. I love how we connect, despite our differences. I love that we are writing posts like the Unknown Contributor did in Does Your Heart Go Out to Me? or Down With Dat’s Make Down Syndrome Day a Day of Action. The work that the IDSC is doing and their blogging campaign.
It feels like we are moving and growing into something very powerful, something pure and good and true and swinging a mantle of equal opportunity and rights and justice.
I headed on over to facebook with my heart all brimming and got slammed…by all those freaking socks. Ugh! Get the SOCKS AWAY! Please!
I actually felt full on nauseousness sweep over me when I saw one posted photo of the face of a child with Down syndrome who was surrounded by sock-clad feed. Now, I realize the intent was nothing except good, but come ON! Don’t put a child – with an intellectual disability, no less – up with a bunch of socks and feet and have this be a ploy for AWARENESS!
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But if that’s how it’s going to roll, well then, my wonderful friend Melissa crafted this meme:
Here are my wacky socks.
Can my child with Down syndrome have access to inclusive education without a fight now?
Can my child with Down syndrome have access to appropriate, up-to-date medical care now?
Can people with Down syndrome be paid a fair wage now?
Can people with Down syndrome be hired now?
– what else, my friends?
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Okay, that’s it. Rant over. For the some truly great posts, read the hop going on HERE or go the IDSC for their list of great posts up now. And next year, can we PLEASE go with something like butterflies?
PLEASE?
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
Love this! There are so many great posts on the blogs today!
Those are some gorgeous hand knitted socks. What they have to do with Ds… who the heck knows, but I’d take a pair.
I also feel this new coming together, an inspired movement… there are so many ways to make action and so many people are.There is hope that this is the last generation of children with Ds who have to fight so hard to get treated as equals.
Butterflies, yes! I don’t know. Maybe it does make a difference. Maybe it is just the inherent problem with trying to have a “day” for something, that really needs a whole lifetime. Sigh.
Definitely butterflies!! And I love Melissa’s post – those are certainly some beautiful socks, and I was certainly a little irritated at all the sock pics on FB today, too. I think it’s just…*weird.* Whatever. Sorry I missed your hop. Too much going on with my in-laws coming tonight and my vacation starting tomorrow. My vacation in which I try desperately to find things to entertain my aging in-laws with. My vacation in which I try desperately to bite my tongue when they say silly things like, “Do you have bananas over here?” My vacation in which I try desperately to come up with something they’ll eat (apparently all they’ll eat is *chicken*). Gotta remember, their frame of reference is *extremely* narrow, even for English people. LOL Okay, I’m waaaay off topic here…probably should have texted you…
Can I just say that I think you should hold that 22 hour home birth over your Moxie’s head until she is at least 70 🙂
I love you Moxie Mama! You are making change! We need change. I have a glimmer of hope.