I usually love Ben Stiller films but after reading the editorial by Special Olympics President Timothy Shriver printed in the Washington post, I will join my fellow bloggers and urge my readers to not only boycott but speak up against the insulting "humor" in this movie. The only way to make the world a more inclusive place for people like my son Joe, is to stop calling them names and ridiculing their challenges. In the one scene written about in this editorial kids with intellectual abilities are referred to as "full retards" as compared to people with physical disabilities or someone on the Autism spectrum. The phrase that is used "don't pull a full retard" will likely be making the rounds this fall in local schools and playgrounds. One more thing for me to worry about as Joe begins kindergarten this fall. If you wish to read the editorial that includes the above mentioned scene click HERE.
Thanks to Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes for posting about the film.
To see a response video click HERE.
If you would like to join me and sign a pledge to help to end the use of the "R-word" click HERE. The pledge is sponsored by Special Olympics.
And still more from my home girl Michelle.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Greetings from Orlando!
We just came home from a fabulous 2-week trip to Florida. Once we are unpacked I will post all of the photos. Highlights include: Cocoa Beach, a day at Gatorland, the Lego area at Buena Vista, and Aunt Jen conquering her fear of water slides!
Monday, August 04, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Joe & Tim
Joe met his pal Tim at the school playground yesterday for an hour of climbing and running around. It's great to have a friend in the neighborhood.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Birthday party
While I was away Joe went to his friend Rylie's birthday party. He had a fun time with his friends from the Orange Room in Spartan Child Development Center. One of my big anxieties is that Joe has had fewer party invitations than Emma. I was so happy that he was invited and that he had fun with the other kids.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Mid Career Summer Camp
Here are the people that I hung out with last week at the mid-career seminar. I still can't believe I am mid-career.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Joe & Chris
I am away this week at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana for a mid-career (yes, I am mid-career, when did that happen?) teaching seminar for Religious Studies professors at the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning. Chris is managing the kids on his own this week. From this photo that was sent this morning, it looks like Joe is being a big help to Chris with research in his office.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Up North
Tomorrow morning we are taking our first trip up north in Michigan. Although we have lived here for 10 years we have never vacationed further north than Holland, MI. Tomorrow we are going to The Homestead in Glen Arbor, MI. While we are there we are going to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes and Joe is going to pick up his America the Beautiful National Parks Lifetime Access Pass.
Sight words
I found and downloaded literacy materials from the Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County. It is part of their Learning Program geared specifically to kids with DS. Joe started working with the materials this week. It is an easy system based on matching pictures and then matching words. First I began by having Joe match the pictures of food (apple, ice cream, watermelon, hot dog, etc) and after he got the hang of the game, we began to match words. Joe surprised me by reading "apple" off of the first card before we had begun. I think that he has seen it so many times on flashcards that he has memorized it as a "sight word." I also picked up new flash cards (2 boxes of identical cards) in the $1 bins at Target and I am supplementing the materials that I downloaded. I am not sure for how long he will put up with this "game" but for now he seems to enjoy it.
The word and picture charts taped to a poster board.
Joe matching food pictures.
The word and picture charts taped to a poster board.
Joe matching food pictures.
Tasty Twist
We have lots of great ice cream places in E. Lansing, but the kids love Tasty Twist the best.
The bobsie twins.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
MSU Sports Skills
David Opsommer, son of Mary & Bob Opsommer, is featured in The State News today. David was in Joe's swimming session with the MSU Sports Skills Program this year. He also saw Joe's speech therapist Kim Boyd for many years. Over the past year Mary has given me a lot of good advice and receives a gold star for listening to me rant for an entire swim session after Joe's spring I.E.P. Around that same time, we had a conversation about birthday parties and my sadness that no one from Joe's preschool attended or even RSVP-ed his 4th birthday party. (This year we didn't invite the kids in his class, and as it turned out, one kid ended up attending--whatever). Listening to her talk on the video I am reminded how important it is to have peers (parents & our kids) and how glad I am to know this family. Click HERE to view the video.
What Do You Think?
I have been thinking about this painting on and off for ohhh...hmmm...about 5 years. Someone pointed it out to me a few months after Joe was born. Recently I saw it again on another blog "Cause of Our Joy" and I am back to pondering it. It was painted by Andrea Mantegna (1431-1606) and Italian artist who was also a father to a ton of children. Some people have speculated that the depiction of Jesus is drawn from one of his sons. A recent article "At Home with Down Syndrome" reviewing books about DS (including Jennifer's "Road Map to Holland) begins the review with a brief discussion of the painting. There is a lot of debate about whether or not Jesus is--or is not--enhanced by an extra chromosome. Does it matter? What do you think?
Monday, July 07, 2008
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
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