Monday, October 10, 2016

31 for 21 Day 9: Colin is Happy

One of the stereotypes associated with people with Down Syndrome is that they are happy ALL of the time. And while overall Colin is a very happy 7 year old boy, there are many times that he is angry, upset, sad, frustrated, discouraged, annoyed, hurt, disappointed, or mad just like any other little boy. When his expressive language skills were lacking more so than they are now, he would often display these emotions in other ways. However, we are starting to see now that as he continues to develop his skills in this area, he is able to just verbally tell us he is feeling any of these emotions. One day over the summer, Colin was insistent that I sit in a certain spot at the table when he was finishing up a dinner he had previously left behind. I was firm in that I was going to stay where I was. After going back and forth about it a few times, he all of a sudden burst out (half teary half yelling) "I'm so angry with you!". I was so shocked that he actually told me how he was feeling that I was cheering for him and telling him how proud I was. In that moment, he seemed a bit surprised, especially as I came and sat exactly where he wanted me to. We still don't hear him share these emotions that often, but when he does, we are sure to celebrate.


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