2012’s Top Special Needs Posts Countdown, #7

by JoleneDec 21, 2012Advocacy, Special Needs Parenting0 comments

Down Syndrome Awareness Month will soon end. But not before Ellen Stumbo shares what she's learned from her daughter who lives with Down syndrome.

The countdown of 2012’s top special needs posts continues here at DifferentDream.com. Today we move onto the 7th most popular post, a very sweet article was written by guest blogger Ellen Stumbo.

Posts #9, and 10

To make your hunt for the top special needs posts already featured in the countdown easier, here’s a quick rundown of what’s been covered already and the links to get you there:

Post #10: The Welcome to Holland Thing and The Big Bad Thing
Post #9: Handwriting Help for Kids with Special Needs

Post #7: Down Syndrome—A Teacher for Life

Now, onto today’s featured post. Ellen’s article ran on October 30, one of the final days of Down Syndrome Awareness Month. She wrote it to educate people about Down Syndrome and the joy she experiences as the parent of a child with the condition. Here’s a taste of Ellen’s thoughtful writing:

She will never be a doctor, a lawyer, or a scientist. She will not be the greatest athlete or performer. She will not find the cure for cancer, and she will certainly not be the next president. But then I look at Nichole, and I am trapped in her eyes, unable to look away, unable to question anymore. The little girl who looks back at me is not broken, and she is not less than perfect. The value of her life is not found in all the things that she will never be, but in the things that she is. And at only four years old, her accomplishments are those that many of us seek to achieve someday.

To read the entire piece go to Down Syndrome: A Teacher of Life. You can read more about Ellen’s family at her blog www.ellentstumbo.com.

What Do You Think?

Was Ellen’s post one of your favorites? What made it memorable to you? Would you like to see more posts like this in 2013? Leave a comment!

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By Jolene

Jolene Philo is the author of several books for the caregiving community. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and Amazon. See Jane Dance!, the third book in the West River cozy mystery series, which features characters affected by disability, was released in October of 2023.