Julian Regehr, whose daughter has Down Syndrome, shares his experiences and thoughts in the article linked to above. It's part of his website that contains helpful links and information for other parents of children with disabilities.
He writes :
"In my own journey I am coming to the point where I make an extra effort not to match my child's growth against that of other children. If she can't sit up today and can sit up tomorrow, that is a huge achievement. Whether or not her peers have been sitting up for months is irrelevant. I need to learn not to measure her against a standard that is designed to highlight her short comings. As she grows I will have to continue to make that effort. Why should I push her to be involved in soccer if she doesn't like soccer. If she wants to work as a dishwasher at a restaurant why should I push her to become a secretary. If she wants to be a secretary why should I hope for her to become a business woman. If she wants to be a business woman, why hope for a presidency. When I do these things, it is most often because I am unwilling to let her measure herself against her own standard. I am succumbing to the standard of a society which prizes certain achievements over others. I am succumbing to a society which talks about acceptance and inclusion but requires that acceptance and inclusion happen on their terms, using their points of reference."
This article is worth a read - for everyone, whether you are parenting a disabled child or not.
2 comments:
Enjoyed reading your blog this morning. This article is very helpful. My son is disabled and I wish I'd read this years ago!
Hillary
Wonderful post, I am sure I will use it on the "Gospel of Weakness" blog soon. I will also be bookmarking your site for father insights from now on. May God bless you as He reveals Himself through your daughter.
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