Saturday, November 15, 2008

“Oh, But These Kids are SO Loving!!”

If kids with Down syndrome are so loving, why does Ricki
-stick her tongue out at her brother
-purposely wipe her dirty hand on my skirt to make me mad (don't say I am "reading into it"- I saw the EVIL glint in her eyes)
-come home from school to write diatribes on whoever she is angry with

I laugh at this stereotype---because that is what it is, a stereotype
(although, in all fairness, she does have ADHD too….)
But lots of kids with Down syndrome get angry--- and I suspect the smarter ones… as they SEE what people are thinking of them, and it makes them MAD!

4 comments:

traceylynndel said...

I agree. Katya just turned four today but some of her favorite sayings are "go away" "no" and "mine". She throws herself to the floor if she is angry too. Just like any preschooler. She knows if she is being treated differently than her typically developing little sister and she isn't happy about it. While she is easy to distract, she still gets angry. All I have to do to stop a fit is say "I'm watching you." and she busts out smiling so big her little eyes disappear beneath her grin.

Tracey
www.delrosarioadoptionsaga.spaces.live.com

Michael's Loving Family said...

all kids push your buttons but some have specials buttons ;-).

Terri said...

Kids with Down syndrome can't win on this--half the people of the world think they are alway stubborn and the other half think they are always happy. No one takes their communication of mood seriously--they write everything off as "just the Down syndrome." AARGH!!!!

We see a full range of emotion and happiness and orneriness at our house!

Tamara said...

No, not always happy - and I prefer "determined" to "stubborn" ... and Shawen has ADD too - fun combination :-)