The Little Gull Project

This has been my crazy calling over the last few months.  Painting, making art cards, approaching business to sell art cards, starting The Little Gull blog, working with an amazing art printer - Scott at Art Ink Print,  planning with the local Down Syndrome Society, signing up for an ETSY account, making signage for stores.

I couldn't be happier.  Really.  The Little Gull feeds my soul and makes me feel I am a part of something bigger than just me.  It's a good feeling. 

I still get nervous approaching businesses, but so far they have been very kind.  One bookstore owner told me she was going out of art cards, that they simply didn't have room for them.  But, with regards to The Little Gull Project she said, "But this is different.  Let's go for it."

Putting the Child First

I'm wondering if anyone has seen a poster about inclusive language with regards to putting the child first (before a disability).  I want to post one in the staffroom at the school Aidan will attend in a year and a half.  The kindergarten teacher recently said to me, "I had a Down's student once, he was very stubborn."  My spidey senses went all haywire, and I want to let the staff know that language is important... :o)

Also, last night I attended my first ever Down Syndrome Society AGM and joined the Board.  I want to help in areas of education and advocacy, and the child-first inclusive-language angle was the first thing I thought of.

31 for 21: Still thinking...

Well, 31 for 21 is over - and I did not too badly, but definitely didn't post daily like I was supposed to. The process of advocating for/about Down syndrome was an interesting one. But I hardly skimmed the surface! On Halloween night we attended a party given by one of Liam's classmate's family. It was amazing. We took Aidan (as a little fireman) for a little while, then he went home to bed with Dad.

After he left I was chatting with another mom and she said that her son (4) was asking why Aidan was crying. Why he seemed more like a baby than a three-year-old. She wondered how she should talk about Aidan and Down syndrome with her son....my response was, "I really don't know." I honestly don't know.

And I don't think I'm alone. This seems to be a struggle for parents of children with Trisomy 21. How do we describe Down syndrome:

1. without being overly technical?
2. with respect to our child?
3. with honesty (yes he's different - difference isn't a bad thing though, right?)?
4. without making a big deal out of it?
5. to our own child once they're old enough to understand?

I'm on a bit of a mission to find answers to these questions. My inquiring mind wants to know: what are your thoughts on the best way to describe Down syndrome?




Incidentally, one mom in our local Down syndrome group said she talks to her son's class every year about Down syndrome, but now her son is adamant that he does not have Down syndrome. She's wondering what to do now.

Also, I asked Kieran how he would describe Down syndrome to a four-year old, and he didn't know either.