Several weeks ago I was directed to a blog post involving a discussion about Down syndrome. I won't go into the specifics of the post, nor link to the blog (don't want to drive traffic over there). It wasn't so much what was said in the post (although there is that), but what was worse was reading the comments...especially one commenter in particular.
You'd think after 6 years I'd learn to grow some thick skin and not let things like what was said bother me, but this one just cut me to the core.
I've heard "suffers from Down syndrome" enough to become mostly immune to that ... although it does still irk me because Kayla is not 'suffering.'
But this one was something else, the commenter said:
"...my belief that Down's is a cruel and unusual sentence to visit on a child."
Whoa!
Did I really just read that?
Cruel and unusual? Then there was this:
"Far more Down's children live miserable, suffering lives than these individuals want you to believe. Viewing the lives of affected children, and simple education tells me that I could never force a child to endure what they would should they be born with Down's."
Just what am I 'forcing' Kayla to 'endure' is what I'd like to know. Cause from my view I'm forcing her to endure a life filled with love, respect, support, friendship, guidance, encouragement, experiences, fun, education, inclusion in her family, school, community (as it should be)...and that doesn't sound 'miserable' to me at all.
I know there are
a lot of people out there who have very negative opinions of Down syndrome; I guess I haven't experienced it first hand, and I certainly didn't realize the depth of some of those opinions.
I look at Kayla and just wish I could shelter her from this cruel, cruel world. She has every right, no, she
deserves to live her life like everyone else and not have people look at her like she should never have been born.
Meet Kayla, my beautiful daughter who has Down syndrome:
She likes dressing up as a princess, like just about every other 6 yr old girl out there. She's happy. She's not miserable or suffering.
She just is...living her life...the way she was meant to be.
You'd think after 6 years I'd learn to grow some thick skin and not let things like what was said bother me, but this one just cut me to the core.
I've heard "suffers from Down syndrome" enough to become mostly immune to that ... although it does still irk me because Kayla is not 'suffering.'
But this one was something else, the commenter said: "...my belief that Down's is a cruel and unusual sentence to visit on a child."
Whoa!
Did I really just read that? Cruel and unusual?
Then there was this: "Far more Down's children live miserable, suffering lives than these individuals want you to believe. Viewing the lives of affected children, and simple education tells me that I could never force a child to endure what they would should they be born with Down's."
Just what am I 'forcing' Kayla to 'endure' is what I'd like to know. Cause from my view I'm forcing her to endure a life filled with love, respect, support, friendship, guidance, encouragement, experiences, fun, education, inclusion in her family, school, community (as it should be)...and that doesn't sound 'miserable' to me at all.
I know there are a lot of people out there who have very negative opinions of Down syndrome; I guess I haven't experienced it first hand, and I certainly didn't realize the depth of some of those opinions.
I look at Kayla and just wish I could shelter her from this cruel, cruel world. She has every right, no, she deserves to live her life like everyone else and not have people look at her like she should never have been born.
Meet Kayla, my beautiful daughter who has Down syndrome:
She likes dressing up as a princess, like just about every other 6 yr old girl out there. She's happy. She's not miserable or suffering.
She just is...living her life...the way she was meant to be.