Silas stuff to remember....

This is a common scene in our house, Mamaw's house, the car and even the driveway.  Seeing Silas draw so intently is one of my favorites.  He will sit for over an hour, sometimes, just drawing.  He fills pages and pages with his little creations.  He once sat for an hour and a half in the driveway and filled 3/4 of the driveway with these little pictures using sidewalk chalk.  I love seeing a glimpse into his creative mind.  I wish I knew what it all was... I will have to wait a little longer before he can tell me what each line, circle, squiggly represents.  When that day comes I promise I will sit for just as long listening to every detail of his explanations.  My whole being smiles when I see him like this.

However.... it frowns when it goes from this to the second hour of drawing on his entire body, just as detailed.

Conversation with Seth....

Lying in bed just after singing and praying...

Seth: I think my 3rd nipple popped.

Me:  really.

Conversation with Seth....

We have the day together today... which means, Seth is the sweetest boy in the entire universe!

Anyway, we were throwing the football to each other outside.

Seth: Mom, I love throwing the football, but baseball is my passion.

:)

Spread the Word to End the Word

There is a recent disturbance in the Down Syndrome community about a comedian who has disrespected this community... my community.  And although, I'm not in the business of censoring comedians or any other media, I will say how disappointing it was to read the transcripts of the show and see how he really pinpointed people with DS and belittled them.  My feeling and call is to educate.  This brings me to my week.  I was disappointed again yesterday.  I substituted in a classroom of children.  I was not shocked by having to correct 2 kids for using the word retarded.  They are kids and have a to be told and a lot of times reminded when they are out of line.  Easy.  I was not shocked by some of them giving me some argument back and trying to talk their way around what they actually "meant" by saying it.   They are kids.  However, I was shocked by the response of "I'm allowed to use that word" or "my parents let me say that".   Several students clearly and loudly let me know that using the word retarded was perfectly acceptable by their parents.  Now whether that is true or not.... But it did alarm me enough to but my fingers to the keyboard to do my part in letting my small part of the world that my blog and/or Facebook account reaches that.... NO.  IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO USE THE WORD RETARDED IN 2018.  I don't know why people find it so difficult to understand or believe this.  Maybe because we are so bombarded today with being politically correct and people are rebelling.  I don't know why I would rebel against showing love and support to any group of people.  So to be clear, again.....


My son has Down Syndrome. (you may also call it Trisomy 21)
My sons' friends also have Down Syndrome.
My sons' friends have Autism.
My sons friends also have other various mental delays or disabilities.
The person at the check out line in the store has a disability and is working hard to earn money and worth.

My Silas and his friends do NOT have a 30 year, outdated term that has been abused and twisted to fit in with being rude and to make fun of songs, movies, situations, or PEOPLE!  

Unless you are referring to the tempo of a piece of sheet music, which is a VERB not at noun..... DO NOT USE THE WORD RETARDED OR RETARD AND please go home and let your children know that they are not to use this word either. Now, if you read this and panic that your kid said this to Ms. Anita in class!.... let me assure you that I know that you likely, do not "allow" this talk in your home.  But it may be that you could reinforce what I told the class and that is .... first, It is NOT allowed in my class... and the term is exclusive. It's offensive. It's derogatory.

It is hurtful to me.
It is hurtful to my children.

IT IS HURTFUL.... not funny.

IT IS HURTFUL.

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Seth Saying Risk....

To Lily......

"ooooo..... you just got whooped by a boy!!!!"

It's been a good couple of days....

You never know how your words may change someone's day.   I've had 3 blessings of words in 3 days.  The kind that I can't stop thinking about and will probably be able to live on for a while now.  Two of them have to do with Silas... which makes me think.  They are words that only have this effect because it was said to a mom of a child with special needs... I say that because the same words, I wouldn't think twice about if it was said to any of my other kids.

This mom had no idea....

It was at a typical taekwondo class... well not typical so much because Silas did awesome, no time outs, he barely gave his super, patient instructor a hard time.  A woman who has two girls in his class came up to me and asked me which class Silas was going to go to next, because they just tested and have other options for class times.  I didn't think much about it because I usually wait for the instructor to tell me which class would be best for Silas because I don't want him to be any more of a distraction than he has to be for classes.  Because although Silas is doing well in TKD, it has taken him a long time to make his little bit of progress that he has made.  He tests ALLthe young people's patience that work with him during every class.  I know it's obvious with the other boys in class whisper to the other kids, "He's in time out EVERY CLASS."  :)  
He has been with these two girls, in particular, for several months now and he knows them and they are very sweet to him.  After their mom asked me and I didn't really give her a clear answer, it became clear that she wanted an answer!  She told me when they would be in class and began to say,  "I want them in class with Si."  I gotta say, I may or may not be crying as I write this... That simple phrase made my whole night.  This mom WANTED to be in my boy's class. The same boy, that at times, distracts her girls from learning, that, at times, runs crazy across the room and has to be refocused back to the class... again, taking away from her own girls class time.  After telling her that we would definitely be in the class they were in, I went straight to my car and.... called my mom to tell her. :)  She got it... she was just as excited. :)

So that's it... that's all it took to give me this extra encouragement with this little boy that I love so much, but am often discouraged because it takes so much repetition and consistency (that I don't always have the energy to give him) to discipline and train.  Some one wanted to be with him.  That's what I want for him!  I want kids to like him.  I want parents to look at him with gladness and not pity or resentment.  We sometimes get questionable looks when we go places.  It can be disheartening at times and other times, irritating.

This simple conversation made up for all of it.  <3 nbsp="" p="">

Seth + Dolly

Seth: Mom!? Do you know how much I love Dolly?

Me: I know you love her a lot!

Seth: No.  You don't know.  My arms aren't big enough to show you.