“Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realise our need of one another.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Our family is private, but the birth of Nicholas threw a spotlight on us to an extent. I’ve now decided to use that to my advantage – to create awareness and celebrate his life and those of other children with Down syndrome.
My hope for the future is to help other families and get my message across that ‘happiness’ and ‘joy’ can be used in the same sentence as ‘Down syndrome’. We’re a happy, normal family with three beautiful boys; one member just happens to have an extra chromosome. Down syndrome is not a death sentence, nor a disease. These beautiful children can lead long, happy lives. And if given the chance, they can be a real asset to society. I know that Nicholas is going to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and most importantly, he already has in ours. Our hopes for Nicholas are good health, happiness, to be constantly aware of the love we have for him and to be given the opportunity to follow his dreams. Nicholas has brought so much joy to our family and we are so privileged to call him our son and brother.
Remember that your little baby is a baby first. It’s YOUR baby. Down syndrome will not and must not define them. I also suggest speaking to parents who have children with Down syndrome. It helped me so much and I, in turn, hope to assist other families. Yes, life will be different to what you had expected, but different is not necessarily a bad thing. I think you’d search far and wide to find a parent who regrets having that child and where that child doesn’t bring joy to the family. The most important thing is to seek knowledge and make an informed decision, not one out of fear or ignorance. We’re learning every day about Down syndrome having Nicholas in our lives and we welcome open and honest communication, be it with friends, family or strangers. We appreciate people taking the time to care and wanting to be educated. It’s all about creating awareness and being equipped with the necessary knowledge, especially if you are faced with life-changing decisions.
Absolutely, your baby is your baby first and the disability follows. Our son is only 11mnths and he is doing so great. My husband and I take him for occupational therapy and we had such wonderful results and have been referred to a group developmental programne where we get to speak to other parents ge also gets to interact with other babies and I must say hes the life of the bunch. We feel blessed everyday and we sometimes even forget that he has down syndrome 🙂