Hello dear Reader. This is the introduction to something I hope will be an enduring activity for me: that is, writing an account of everyday life as a mum who’s raising a child with Down syndrome. I also hope that this will offer you a glimpse into a life that, whilst having its fair share of challenges, also notices and celebrates the smallest of achievements.
The idea for this blog came from a friend having only just met my daughter. It seemed he was impressed and intrigued with her and he perceptively seemed to understand the effort required of us, her parents.
“You really must write about your experiences,” he said, as if expecting me to share his enthusiasm.
“Actually, I do write. I’ve been keeping a journal for years,” I replied. “‘though I must say, it’s been a while since I’ve written in it.”
“I meant in a blog. It’d be like journalling, only you’d be sharing your experiences with others over the internet.” He was very excited about the idea and hadn’t noticed my scepticism. I doubted anyone would really have the desire to read such a thing.
Not one who’d totally grasped the concept of blogging, I was keen to find out what I was missing.
“Why would anybody want to know about us?” I replied. “And, who’d be interested in reading it?”
“Lots of people would be interested. And for many different reasons. Like people who’ve never even met a child with a disability, or people who work in the field. Even parents who already have a kid with a disability. And then there’s the parents of normal kids. They’d be interested.” He paused, “Er, can I say ‘normal’?”
So, after many months of mulling it over, I present you with this blog. My intention is to continue this account until my eleven-year-old daughter turns 18. That gives a good seven years of blogging and if the past is anything to go by, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to share with you my reflections and learnings along the way.
What I hope this will provide you with, dear Reader, is an insight into what it’s like for my family and me as we evolve in a world that has yet to truly embrace difference.
