Advice from a mother of a child with Down syndrome

My daughter has Down syndrome, but that hasn’t prevented us from living like a happy family. Here are the lessons I learned and my tips for a special motherhood.

A mother may fall apart upon knowing that she is pregnant with a child with Down syndrome. At first glance, she will feel that her dreams of a happy family are being undermined, and that she will need faith, support and exposure to past experiences in order to start looking at her new reality in a practical way.

Here is a summary of the experience of a mother of a child with Down syndrome. The lessons learned by a mother of two: a girl with Down syndrome and her younger brother.

1. A child with Down syndrome is a child after all, regardless of Down syndrome… In fact, you give birth to a unique and distinguished child, regardless of his characteristics and features, who bears a resemblance to you and his family members, with other characteristics.

2. It is amazing how similar my children were even though the girl has Down syndrome but the boy doesn’t.

3. You do not need to love Down syndrome; it is enough to love your child. Focus on your life with him and forget about the labels.

4. Don’t fall into the trap of comparisons… If there are children in the family, don’t compare your child’s skills with those of anyone else. This will prevent you from getting complacent and seeing the steps your child is making.

Comparisons prevent you from seeing the sparkle in the way your child reaches goals, because you are preoccupied with the time he needs to reach them. Do not worry, he will eventually reach the end of the way, but on his own, and then your happiness will be doubled.

5. KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT; you are not the only mother of a child with Down Syndrome.

6. Today, knowledge is available easily. Our world has become much broader than just the society surrounding us. With just a simple use of the computer, you will be exposed to worlds you did not expect.

7. Be interested to know more and study what Down syndrome is and how it will affect your child during his life. Consult specialists and accept support from those who love you. Make sure that those who love you will love your child and support both of you.

8. Meditate on the beauty of Down syndrome… There is a lot of beauty in the features and behavior of a child with Down syndrome,  love your child as he is, enjoy the beautiful moments of his development with him.

9. Allow yourself to be a superhero, able to break stereotypes and discover what you love about your child.

10. Your child stores varied emotions… Although some think that a child with Down syndrome is a (always happy) child; it may be due to your child’s happy facial expressions, but you have to be prepared for otherwise.

11. Your child will experience the whole range of feelings, and you will see his reactions to these feelings… His moods communicate with ours; he would experience joy, fear, anxiety, guilt, anger, and even hysteria.

12. The challenges you face will make you a creative educator and teacher.

13.  Remember that no matter if your child has Down syndrome, every child has a different way of understanding things, and some children are more distinguished with language skills, while others are easier to understand with visual explanations.

14. This is the case with your child who has Down syndrome. He would need you to develop new educational and pedagogical methods; so allow yourself to be creative. Listen to his needs and respond to them.

15. The birth of your child with Down syndrome will not darken your life… Know that your life will always have beautiful days and less beautiful days. This has nothing to do with your child with Down syndrome, so there is no need to overburden things.

16. Do not use your child’s syndrome as a hanger on which you put on failures and prevent you from joy and dealing with life in a simple way.

17. Dear, know that all mothers face different challenges, according to their circumstance and where they live. Your son’s Down syndrome may be a challenge for you, but it will undoubtedly bring you diverse experiences and deep wisdom in dealing with life.