Acceptance

Well, I always knew through this journey there would be times when acceptance would be a factor, but I never guessed it would be so early!! I am not even talking about for Jenessa, actually. I had the great opportunity to talk to a mother of an older child with Down Syndrome and this child went to an orientation to the school that he plans to attend next year. At this program there was a teacher there that introduced themself to every parent around the child's parent except them. They thought this was a fluke until they talked to another parent with a child that also has down syndrome and they were also "shunned" if you will, by the same teacher. The sad fact is this teacher has accepted Jenessa, but it really makes me wonder and is kind of sickening that they could do that. I just don't see acceptance as accepting my child, because you know me or because she is just so adorable you can't resist, it is also accepting all children with any disability and their parents. Introducing yourself to every parent around them, but acting as if they do not exist is not acceptance and to be honest it is quite RUDE! I have had a hard time with this today because it really makes me wonder out of the people that know my daughter and accept her, do they really accept her?
I understand acceptance is a hard thing to comprehend. I even with a daughter with Down syndrome have a hard time. But I feel that we are teaching our kids tolerance more than acceptance and this needs to change. As was pointed out this morning to me in our mommy meeting, children don't see the facial differences or notice the behaviors at a young age, but they do need to understand as our children get older. And they need to have acceptance and to be taught that just because someone look different or act different, it doesn't mean that they are less of a person or that they are more sensitive, it only means that they want to be included just as much as everyone else!!