"MOM, I DON'T HAVE DOWN SYNDROME ALL THE TIME YOU KNOW"..

"I Don't Have Down Syndrome All The Time"

http://gotdownsyndrome.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-dont-have-down-syndrome-all-ti

me.html

Dave Hingsburger is an advocate for those with disabilities and gives presentations on this topic fairly often. A story he wrote is featured here it

is pretty funny and quite interesting. So, here it is:

<<

We'd just sat down for lunch when we both heard that pronunciation of the word, 'Mother' that communicates so much. 

......'Muhhhhh-therrrrrr'.!!....... I glanced up and saw a frustrated and harried woman, carrying packages from the Bay and her son, a young man with Down Syndrome who was in his pre-teens.

Of course, I listened.

..............

It seems that the mother wanted to go with him to get his food and then have him go with her to get her food, then they would eat together. Son, thought this was silly. Why doesn't she get hers, he get his, then they meet for lunch. She did an admirable job of keeping herself calm. I did an  admirable job of just listening, not judging. Who knew what kind of experiences she'd had that led to this arrangement? 

They had been standing arguing and just before she moved again towards the court he said something that had a profound impact on me as a listener and she as a mother.

'Trouble is you think I have Down Syndrome all the time and I don't,' he said with real frustration.

She stopped again, 'Whaaaat?'

'I only have Down Syndrome sometimes, when I'm learning something new or  if the words are real hard. I don't have Down Syndrome the rest of the time when I'm doing what I know how to do.'

'And you don't have Down Syndrome now?' she asked.

'No, I know how to get my lunch, I buy my lunch at school all the time. I don't have someone with me all the time you know.' he was frustrated, he didn't even realize he'd said something of real importance, to me and to 

his mother.

'So,' she continued looking at him hard, 'you don't feel like you have Down Syndrome all the time.'

'No, most times I don't even think about it,' he said.

She said, her tiredness seemed to be gone, 'Go ahead, we'll find a table after we've got our food.'

They disappeared from view.

Joe and I looked at each other. I said to him, 'That kid should teach classes to parents of kids with Down Syndrome.'

>>

Makes me wonder what goes on in Robin's head sometimes. He has a funny way of stopping me when I am giving "too much information or being overzealous in my help"...he just puts up his hand up in a STOP sign and says, "Mom I can do it by myself"...

and you know what?.... he really CAN DO many things that I do not recall teaching him...like he says "by msyelf".... so what if it's not exactly to specifications, mine or any one elses for that matter....so what if he takes longer... He has his own way of doing things.

He cracks me up though...like when he wants to get totally dressed "by himself" and does a good job, except......his clothes are all inside out...OR...he appears at the mess hall with no shirt...he tells me that he wants to show off his muscles...amidst the amused looks of about 100 people...


...other times he will surprise me by getting his own snack, using the microwave, unclogging his own mouth expander with a water pick, helping me with housework, amusing his captive audience with puns, quips, play on words...etc., etc., etc.,...HE REALLY GETS IT!... so it's probably ME who is limiting him...

oh well...like I said...

HE CRACKS ME UP...never a dull moment.

Just thot I'd share this...'cause it reminds me of Rob so much...

His latest? I tell him not to eat too many peanut butter Reeses cups (loves them!) and he says:

" I know, I know, I get the message Mom, you don't want a fat Down Syndrome boy!"...

groan...haha

so who taught him that?....not me!

thanks for reading...and have wonderful rest of the week...Rob and I plan to..