tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post3530532619573977858..comments2024-03-18T12:13:51.922-04:00Comments on Big Blueberry Eyes: Age-Appropriate Adult ActivitiesMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441176684416139172noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-70877888821217096642014-06-11T10:24:44.122-04:002014-06-11T10:24:44.122-04:00There are a lot of people who are directly dealing...There are a lot of people who are directly dealing with those who are adults chronologically that so enjoy things like Easter Egg hunts. That you don't believe Kaya will do this as an adult, but will be a helper is fine, but there are some who are at the adult stage and they are still very much enjoying child activities. To go to something like this and find the person age barred is a slap in the face. Fine to encourage your view, but don't shut out those who don't follow it. Enough doors are shut for them.cath youngnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-58417970278190578862014-05-10T01:33:18.016-04:002014-05-10T01:33:18.016-04:00We have several adults with Down syndrome in our n...We have several adults with Down syndrome in our neighborhood (30's and 40's range) and they still believe in Santa and LOVE Christmas and the magic that is felt with child innocence. And they look forward to seeing Santa every year. What are your plans with Kayla? Do you plan on telling her one day that Santa and the Easter Bunny aren't real? I've always just planned on keeping up the magic as long as my children believe even if that meant forever for Morgan. heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01061626477737855499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-85600860412845526552014-05-07T19:17:25.406-04:002014-05-07T19:17:25.406-04:00There is a young woman at church who is chronologi...There is a young woman at church who is chronologically 24 but cognitively 18mo-2 years old. Her cognitive development stopped.<br />She dresses fashionably for her age group and her caregiver makes sure her hair and jewelry are stylish...but age appropriate activities would be frustrating and confusing for her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-41625256144112132872014-05-06T15:03:37.033-04:002014-05-06T15:03:37.033-04:00At every age, for every person, the most "app...At every age, for every person, the most "appropriate" action or event is what is personal to that person. For example, Marcus is 23 and I did take him to see Santa Claus, because *he* wanted to stop and say hi. Santa offered for Marcus to sit on his lap - as is the custom - and Marcus replied, "No. That's for kids." Marcus understands what is "for kids" and he also knows what he wants - to talk to Santa at Christmas time. It's a balance I learned over the years, by letting Marcus teach me. It is a tricky subject, especially from the outside, and I appreciate your willingness to broach the subject both with teachers and the world :) Great words, as always, keep on. Mardrahttp://www.mardrasikora.com/grown-ups-and-downs/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-15891487181785786212014-05-06T14:39:45.308-04:002014-05-06T14:39:45.308-04:00I completely agree! I have a daughter with DS tha...I completely agree! I have a daughter with DS that will turn 20 next month. People talk down to her and it makes me crazy. We try desperately to keep her age appropriate and it is so difficult. The parents of her friends DO NOT do the same. This can be quite a task in a world that thinks of all individuals with disabilities are children forever.Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05589549919841710688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-37560581657493965042014-05-06T10:52:56.327-04:002014-05-06T10:52:56.327-04:00Be careful wanting K to participate in age-appropr...Be careful wanting K to participate in age-appropriate activities when it comes to prom! & drinking & passing out & ... etc... but seriously ... Be careful what you are hooking on to. Jessie has close friends (so-called typical? HA! an opera singer and a very gifted writer and photographer), who, in their late teens & early 20s, binge watched Arthur regularly. I had a hard time explaining this to one of Jessie's teachers ... who insisted on age-appopriate TV, and wouldn't belief me that R&R were so-called typical young women. The co-artistic director of the company that Jessie dances with LOVES the Muppets, so Jessie has regular muppet dates with her. The point, as we and our children age, I think, is to find common interests and to start making games and art activities that are INCLUSIVE i.e., all ages and abilities... not just "babyish." Nanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10375461078977866753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-71585991384449890632014-05-05T21:54:55.940-04:002014-05-05T21:54:55.940-04:00 This is perfect. I am in SO and at a trac... This is perfect. I am in SO and at a track meet they have an athlete village. Most of the athletes were adults, but they had activities ment for babies. I refused to participate, I caved when they had a board game both because I love borad games. I think if I participate next year I will bring my Risk set, AZ Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649451111980332722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-26110078219362572822014-05-05T21:00:50.137-04:002014-05-05T21:00:50.137-04:00I agree with much of what you said, but why force ...I agree with much of what you said, but why force an adult with a disability to do an activity that he doesn't enjoy, just because it's age appropriate? If they would really enjoy an Easter egg hunt, why is that bad? Is it age appropriate for a typical 20 year old? No, but so what? If it's a lot of fun, and the person really enjoys it, why is that a bad thing?<br /><br />You point out that "typical" kids have skills and interests all over the map. So do people with disabilities, and those interests may be at an age that is younger than their chronological age. Yes, it's important to teach them skills to interact and learn with their same age peers, but don't forget that their interests may be those of younger kids, and there isn't anything wrong with that.Paulanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-83744205671060709472014-05-05T12:44:44.747-04:002014-05-05T12:44:44.747-04:00On the other hand... If the children's activit...On the other hand... If the children's activity is what THEY want to do (rather than being forced upon them as the default option) then maybe the onus is on us to accept that different people may have different interests and tastes and desires, and not everyone has to fit into the same box and like the same things at the same ages. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-61710216465356236612014-05-05T12:38:24.604-04:002014-05-05T12:38:24.604-04:00Great post! Thank you!Great post! Thank you!DandGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13078892548041115257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-23338135065839365212014-05-05T12:20:06.838-04:002014-05-05T12:20:06.838-04:00We have a friend at church with Down Syndrome. K i...We have a friend at church with Down Syndrome. K is in her mid 20s and we treat her like a 20-something-year-old, and not a child, even though in some ways she is still like one. It never occurred to my husband or me to treat K differently. I recall one time, several months ago, where a woman around K's parents' age came up to K and started talking to her like she was a toddler. K came up to me, hugged me tight, and hid behind me as if to get away from the woman. I was disgusted. My husband and I never talked baby talk to our children, yet here was someone treating a grown woman like a baby. Why?<br /><br />On a side note, as a child, I preferred playing with kids a little younger than I am. My soon to be six year old is the same way (he has sensory processing disorder and in speech and social, is behind in his age group). T will repeat kindergarten this coming year, but I did not give it much thought about him being around kids younger than himself (odd, since I thought about every little single thing that would be good or bad about him repeating, including his placement in a different building and classroom, if he'd use a bathroom he's not accustomed to, et cetera).Stacey Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14352989875183758588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-13292708739452298142014-05-05T12:07:21.926-04:002014-05-05T12:07:21.926-04:00I agree. But I also think it gets really wrapped u...I agree. But I also think it gets really wrapped up in people being uncomfortable with disability and sexuality. It's much easier to deal with people with disabilities as childlike than to try to figure out how to really let them have complete adult lives. Easter egg hunt: fun outing. Bar: not so much. You know? Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16248485766805270628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24014954.post-80722984363256747232014-05-05T11:02:16.640-04:002014-05-05T11:02:16.640-04:00Great post! I completely agree with what you'...Great post! I completely agree with what you've written here. The mentality is to talk and treat people with disabilities like children. I don't like that. If you're 20 years old, then you're 20 years old. The more we allow this kind of thinking to continue, the more patronizing people will be towards our children. I want Owen to have a job and live independently. He can't do that if I treat him like he's perpetually 8 nor can he do it if the community at large treats him that way too.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17913754866057778005noreply@blogger.com