Thursday, January 22, 2009

From Kevin

Kevin relayed this story to me today when he got home from school. It brought tears to my eyes.


[Kevin typed this up himself]-


Well, today I was at school and it was lunch. I was playing handball. I was standing in line watching the current game, and someone lost. This kid in line next to me said, "What a retard." I told him, "Hey, don't say retard." (I have been meaning to say this to someone for a while! Lots of kids at my school use the word retard.) Anyway, he asked me, "Why?" I told him, "The word retard is very offensive to disabled people" He said, "Are you disabled?" "No," I told him. "But I have a baby brother with Down Syndrome." "What's that?" he asked me. "It's when you have an exta chromosome. You also learn slower." I explained. "How do you get it?" he inquired. "You can't." I told him. "You have to be born with it." And then, guess what? He told me about a person kind of like that at his church, and he said he wouldn't say retard! I'm very glad I did this.

As a side note, I got those books that I ordered recently. My intent had been to look through them myself first, but Kevin swooped down on them as soon as they arrived and has claimed them. He's currently eating up The Sibling Slam Book and Views From Our Shoes. We've been discussing things a little here and there as he's reading these, and he told me that he thinks that having a brother like Finn is going to be a postive for him and the other kids.

13 comments:

My name is Sarah said...

WAY TO GO KEVIN!!!!!

Nicole O'Dell said...

What an amazing young man you're raising! You must be so proud of him. I'm proud of him!

Eternal Lizdom said...

What an amazing moment!! You have got to be so... proud and humbled and amazed and... oh wow!!!

Brandie said...

Kevin is so brave! I'm all teary eyed. Be proud mama!

The Sanchez Family said...

Yahoo!!! This is what I hope for in my sons as they grow older!! What an awesome thing that is happening in your family.

Carla said...

Aw, Kevin has a good head on his shoulders and a big heart in his chest. Hugs to both of you.

Jeanette said...

Did your heart just burst out of your chest?!? What a great kid!!

The Hapa Girl said...

Do you think those books are age appropriate for a 7 year old? If so, I might consider them for my daughter.

Lis said...

That is awesome. You should be so proud of Kevin!

Tausha said...

I found your blog through the Seal Bark family. I hope you don't mind if I follow. We just had a little boy on July 29th, 2008 who was diagnosed with Down syndrome. They are so close in age. I loved wathing your little boy at his PT session. I loved the story your little Kevin told, what a great kid his is!!

Elyse said...

So proud of Kevin :)
~Elyse~

Crittle said...

Wow. Amazing!

Great, great kid.

He's doing better than I am over here with my co-workers. That one girl used the word AGAIN yesterday. Good grief.

Cheryl said...

That is so wonderful!