She is her own advocate!

When you have a child with special needs, its always about advocate, advocate, advocate!

While that is a huge part of our lives, there is such thing as going overboard.

I know your thinking, no way!

But a mom of a 17 year old girl with DS in a group I'm a part of just left that group.

This is a mom that knows her stuff! After all, she's been doing this for 17 years.

She tried telling some other moms of young kids with Down syndrome that there is plenty of time to advocate, and still enjoy your child! That sometimes you have to just live life, because soon your child will also be 17.

This mom was ripped apart by these other moms! She was told she didn't advocate enough for her child.

Do you know how much your own child can advocate for themselves. How they can change peoples hearts and perceptions all on their own?

Of course that doesn't mean we don't need to advocate, but watching Arina the other night, I realized how much my 4 year old is her own little advocate.

We were at Disneyland, waiting for her beloved parade to start. Because she doesn't sit still long, she is usually walking up and down the parade route, waving and dancing, and pointing out any Disney souvenir  someone may have!

But the last couple of parades she has been doing something new!

She walks down the row of people,

and hands out hug after hug!

After hug!

I have yet to see a person turn her away, or not have a huge smile on their face after interacting with my beautiful girl!
Sometimes its fun to just let her do her thing!
And you better believe that most of those people will remember that little girl at the parade, if  Down syndrome is ever brought up with them again. Or maybe they are told their unborn baby will have Down syndrome. Hopefully they will remember her little face, and think that it may be alright!