Re:First Time-Debbie

[Guest guest]

I wanted to thank you for setting my mind at ease and sharing your

story with me. It is funny to read about how your parents treated

you b/c I am very serious when it comes to people treating my

son " normally " and without pity. I think I am even harder on my son

than anyone.

My great-aunt has terrible osteoporosis which has placed her in the

hospital several times because her bones are so brittle. She has

broken her finger when making toast at times and just underwent

another surgery at age 90. She has inspired me to believe in a

strong mind and I am trying to teach my son that. There will be

enough hurdles for him to overcome on his own - peer pressure, high

school, SATs etc. that he doesn't need his parents treating him like

he will shatter all the time.

Good luck in college.

M.

(mom to Colin- 4 RSS and Gillian age 4 months non-RSS)

> Quoting Debbie <despina1@o...>:

>

> >

> > Wow! Thank you for taking the time to share your story and put

some of at

> > ease. Of course as parents we worry how our children will feel.

Other

> > children can be so mean. But knowing you are where you are and

happy lets us

> > know thank just because our children have a syndrome doesn't

mean it has to

> > change who they are. Thank you and best of luck in college.

>

> Hi Debbie,

> You're welcome. I have to say that I give 99% of the credit to my

family and

> the other 1% of credit to my teachers and the community that I was

raised in.

> I really believe that it is imperative for any parent of an RSS

child to treat

> that child their age and not their size (especially when they're

young) and to

> never put limitations on what they can or cannot due simply

because of their

> size. I was very, very fortunate to be raised by people who let

me set my own

> bar, so to speak, and never told me that it was too high or

couldn't be done.

> They also never let me use my size as an excuse - if something

couldn't be done

> one way because of my height, they came up with a solution to do

it another way.

> I also have to say that while I didn't get teased a lot as a kid,

it did happen

> sometimes, although the comments usually came from strangers on

the street and

> not my peer group at school; however, I think that the comments,

teasing and

> stares didn't bother me as much as they might have because my

parents did such

> a good job of helping to instill a good sense of self-esteem in

me. I have a

> tremendous amount of respect,gratitude, and love for my parents

because I know

> that it couldn't have been easy, but they helped give me a really,

really solid

> foundation to stand on when I went out into the world. I read the

list and

> think back on what my own parents went through with me, and

frankly, most days

> I don't know how they and you guys did and do it. Hang in there,

though,

> things do get better and I'm sure that every one of your children

will become

> the amazing human beings they were meant to be!

>

> ~Hillary

> 22, RSS