I try not to fear the challenges we face as a family when it comes to our son with Down Syndrome. He is already doing so well and I know that repetition and modeling are the keys to success in his life. Having the larger family is an advantage for him because he naturally gets both.
I try to take each stage of development he goes through one at a time. It is a bit easier for me knowing what a child's development "should " be like due to the fact that I have had seven other children. I know his development is much slower but i do not let it bother me because I see a progression even if it is slower. That is basically the norm with kids with DS.
I don't want to say that I don't have expectations but I try to watch with a realistic eye. By this I mean; I know the delays and I do not fear them. I accentuate the positive and look for the smallest progress. Because even something small is big to him and to us!
Our son thrives on encouragement, as we all do but for him, that is his world! To see his family excited, ecstatic about the slightest of feats makes him thrive! Before anyone with degrees in speech or special ed. it was simply humble parents who raised and trusted that their children were worthy and they nurtured them without professions to their highest potentials. I am not knocking these therapists, their services can be very valuable and should be considered. At the same time as a parent we need to be confident that we can also pray, research and help our children to thrive in these areas.
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