Thankful for fathers who teach their children well.
Today Noah and I hung out with one of my smartest friends, and his kid-o’s. I happen to have a lot of friends who are smarter than me. Like way smarter than me. Which basically means one of two things:
Either way my friend John is one of the geekiest / crazy-smartest people I know. Want proof? He recently wrote about a project he’s working on that involves smuggling Bibles into foreign countries on small microchips. See, I told you so. 🙂 (Oh, and I did mention he also makes really awesome birthday cakes!)
John’s also one of the first people I called when I found out Noah was born with Down syndrome. I consider him a great friend and enjoy getting to hang out with him and his equally as awesome family.
John’s son Charlie is a few years older than Noah, doesn’t haven’t Down syndrome, and completely adores our son. It’s so much fun watching them play together.
As I was watching these two kid-o’s play today it made me think about how blessed Noah is to have a friend like Charlie in his life. I know that Charlie is only a toddler and doesn’t have any idea that our son has Down syndrome, or any idea that Noah is any different than any other of his play friends. But today there was no comparing, no misunderstanding, no confusion, no awaked moments….just two little boys playing and having fun.
To my friend’s 3 year old son, Noah was just Noah.
But this will change one day. One day Charlie will begin to wonder why Noah is different. Charlie will begin to ask questions. Childhood innocence will fade.
This doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. In fact it can actually be a good thing. Heres why:
Thankfully I know John and his wife well enough to know they will handle Charley’s questions well. They will teach their son about Down syndrome. They’ll teach their son to love and respect, and include people that are different than he is. And Charlie (hopefully) in turn will help other people (who may not have parents like he does) to do the same as he grows up and goes into the world.
Yelp, children like Charlie can grow up and change the world.
The Charlie’s of the world grow up helping others to exchange cycles of ignorance with cycles of acceptance.
I like that.
I really hope Charlie and Noah stay friends as they get older. I hope that there are lots more days where Charlie and Noah just play. Just have fun. Days like today where Noah isn’t treated as the poor little kid with Down syndrome, but as just a regular little boy who likes playing with wooden cookies just as much as the next kid. I hope one day Charlie calls Noah up and asks him to go to the movies, or to the high school football game, or to come over and just hang out.
I hope Charlie continues to look more at what he and Noah have in common than what he and Noah have in different. I hope Charlie always sees Noah not as being ‘disabled‘ but as being able. Very, very able.
I hope Noah has lots more friends like Charlie in his life. Lots more friends who see him as a peer. Friends who love him, accept him, and show him that he is valued. That he is able. That Down syndrome isn’t that big of a deal.
I hope every person born with Down syndrome has a friend like Charlie.
Does your child have a Charlie in their life? Take a second to leave a comment below and tell me about one of your child’s ‘Charlie’s.”
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I have three older brothers and 7 nieces and nephews under the age of 8 )my Jack is 9 mnths). I was thrilled to think that Jack would have a "built-in" set of friends like Charlie...friends that would always love him, right from the start, and not see him the way society one day may see him.
I told my brothers how lucky Jack was to have their children in their lives, and they all replied, with tears, that they feel their kids are actually the lucky ones....they feel so blessed that their children have JAck in their lives. Jack has already blessed us and brought more joy in the past 9 months than "typical" kids may ever!!
(I think my family is pretty awesome :))
I think my middle daughter is her Charlie. She watches her plays with her sings and if she cries she's always there for her. They will be close.
this
I teach PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities) in a 2A school district in Texas. I absolutely love my job. One of the benefits of being in a small town, is that the kids all grow up together. All the kids at my primary school know my students' names. They are very protective of them and very kind toward them. They are accepted as themselves at a young age, and this will continue throughout their school years. It seems like in each grade level there are a few students who befriend at least one of my students. They serve as mentor, teacher, protector, helper, and most important, friend!
My daughter's class has a young man named, Chris who has Cerebral Palsy. They loved, protected & helped him all the way through school. He rolled across the stage at graduation with his classmates giving him a standing ovation. I am the legal guardian of my nephew, Wesley. He came to live with me at 19 years. My husband is from a city & was concerned over how he would be treated. I told him, no worries. Wesley had gone to school off & on his whole life. Well, after the 1st week, he had his nickname, WesBuck. He is 25 years old now. He is the biggest Bulldog fan & they have him on the radio before each football game to give his predictions. It's always the same response & the fans love him. He's our "Radio" of the town.
There need to be more "Charlies" out there. We are fortunate to have many "Charlies" in our lives. Both my kiddos have DS and cousins are great but not always available to be playmates. We are fortunate to have many friends whose children of all ages infant to young adult) accept my kids just as they are. I think it is important for all kids, disability or no disability, to have friends of all kinds...disabled and non disabled. In my daughter's 5K class almost all her class mates will watch out for her and go out of their way to play with her. It is the best thing to see and watch! We all learn from each other and some times the things we adults learn from watching our children and their friends can be the biggest lessons of all. I hope Noah has as many Charlies in his life as my kids do in theirs.
This is a wonderful story about how one person, albeit it's a young child, totally accepts and loves unconditionally. Charlies' parents are doing something very right! My Anthony has few friends, but his friends adore him...
My daughter was born the same day as her cousin, even at the same hospital. I bet she will be her Charlie they already share toys. We actually have two awesome chromosomers by fluke or luck! My baby girl with three 21's, and my niece with Turners syndrome. We're a family of Charlies thanks to these 2 princesses, and we're so lucky!
I just love reading your posts! Such positive energy and encouragement for all of us to be better. My son does not have downs syndrome, but was born with congenital anomalies that make him "different". But it is so true that he is more the same as other kids than different. Thanks again for the awareness u are bringing to us:)
omg that is so adorable if only this kind of friendship would last for adults too ryan said mommy i think noah n i would have tons of fun hes a lil man like me ryan dont see that noah has ds he sees another kid to play with if it could only be that sinple for everyone way to go charlie n noah you guys will be friends for life i bet
I was the "Charlie" in my sister's life. I adored her---never knew she was "different" until I went to school and the kids there asked so many questions I couldn't answer. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. I am the person I am today because of Roberta. She's waiting for me in heaven now. Until then, I'll keep loving all the "Noah's" in the world.