I hesitated when Kathy asked us to take part. The show is LIVE and in accordance to the old adage, “Never work with kids or animals!” I knew this Hallowe’en centred segment could go sideways at the drop of a (witch’s) hat.
I also knew my girl would love it. To be in the spotlight and to feel important, if only for 120 seconds… how could I deny her that?
Avery is often overlooked for cool experiences on the assumption that kids with differences can’t perform or participate safely or cope with the situation at hand.
I get it. I do.
However, parents who don’t have the pleasure of parenting a child with developmental disabilities often don’t understand how capable kids can be if only given the chance.
- A playdate at your house? We can make it happen! She dreams about it.
- Roller skating party? My girl would love it! Maybe she can’t skate with grace, but I’ll be there to help her.
- Gymnastics? This makes her heart sing. She may be designated to the ‘younger’ class, but Avery can tumble for ya with a smile and I’ll be close by to make sure she’s safe.
- Modelling? Just try telling a young teen who happens to have Down Syndrome that she isn’t a model. Or that because she uses a wheelchair, she isn’t perfect for a cool media campaign.
KiDS ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN THEIR LABELS. They all shine in their own way. It’s just that not everyone can see that, yet.
But I digress….
Thank you K.B. for thinking of Avery. This made her (ahem, and her teary mama’s) day.
Here’s Avery’s television debut! (Who do I talk to to get this kid an agent?) *Edited to say, the link is no longer available. Aw. It was super sweet… and I’m not talking about the candy.
*Yes, she does grab handfuls of candy. But, what you don’t know is that she is not a greedy little sugar seeker. She was grabbing enough to take home to her big brother—she felt sad that her sibling bestie missed all “dis fun stuff.”
** Avery loves her costume SO much that she plans to wear it to a very special Hallowe’en party Friday night.
*** Kathy makes being on live T.V. look easy. It’s so not. If I had the link to the CHCH Morning Live segment when I was on the show, you’d see how awkward it can be…..#deerinheadlights
