Tell us a little bit about you and your family…
I am Jenness, mama to five with Teddy (Ds) being the youngest. I am a nationally certified school nurse and we live in Libertyville, IL. I love to read, cook, and garden, and I used to be an equestrian before kids and grown-up life happened. Teddy is three and loves gymnastics, horseback riding, soccer, baseball, golf, and pretty much any other sport. He also loves to play with his cars and trucks and point out every car, truck, bus, plane, or motorcycle we see on the road. He goes to school four mornings a week and he loves to ride the bus. His favorite genre of music is rock and roll and he especially loves Queen. He can sing along to Bohemian Rhapsody.
What’s the one word you would pick to describe Teddy?
Luminous.
What do you want the world to know about Down syndrome? What has Teddy taught you?
Having Down syndrome means things might take a little longer, but they will still happen. Teddy took longer to figure out a bottle, how to nurse, how to walk, how to talk, but he is doing all of those things on his time and he is rocking it.
Having a son with Ds has taught me to just chill. Take the little things for what they are worth. Perseverance is a strong superpower that helps our kids to accomplish anything they want. And he wants to be treated like any other kid. He gets punished as his siblings do. He has to eat his vegetables as his siblings do. He does chores, follows rules, and gets mad just like his siblings do. When he turns 16 he will get a job just like they did. When he turns 18 or 19 he will go to college just like them. The sky is the limit if we guide him that way.
What would you tell a parent who just received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome?
Congratulations. Enjoy. Love. Find a community of other parents of kids who have Ds to help guide you through the tough stuff.
What else should people know about Down syndrome?
It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. But is any child?
How can people find you?
Thank you for sharing with us Jenness. I love your attitude and perspective. Teddy is such a bright, vibrant light, and I’m so thankful for your words about him!
