Recently I was informed about Super Sociality: Williams Syndrome Awarness; a blog that has wonderful stories about individuals with Williams Syndrome. The blog contributors are Douglas Patterson and Spencer Channell. They are high school students that want to bring awareness to Williams Syndrome.
Click here to check out their blog http://supersociality.blogspot.com/
The following is an entry from the blog by Spencer Channell. I think it is fantastic!
The Haglers Playing Harmonica!
"It has just been an amazing journey and it's been amazing to watch. Especially to parents of younger children: get ready to be amazed at the kind of life that's going to unfold." - Mike Hagler
'Amazed' is an apt descriptor of how Douglas and I have felt as we've researched Williams and gotten to know Garrison better.
As a freshman, I rode on the morning bus with Garrison - he was lively, talkative, social, charming, and memorable. He used to bring a harmonica with him and perform miniature concerts for the rest of the students, establishing a joyful, engaged environment on the bus. Each time the bus pulled away from his driveway, he would face the window and say, "bye mom!" even if she couldn't have heard him.
Needless to say, some genetic disorders can be 'amazing.' It would be a disrespect to Williams Syndrome to merely summarize its biological causes and methods of diagnosis; you simply must tell the stories. The truth-revealing impacts people with Williams make are too precious to not share.
Watching a person grow, mature, and learn from the challenges presented to them at birth helps us better understand the nature of life on earth. "It's a fascinating thing to watch the accomplishments of a child with 'special needs' versus perhaps a child who we would term 'normal'," said Mr. Hagler.
What should we do, then, when a person with 'special needs' enters our life? We should allow our understanding of the world to be expanded by our experiences with them. We should get informed about the things we can do and walk beside them. Just like with anyone, we should be sensitive, listen to their stories, and try to better understand the way they experience the world.
On parenting, Mr. Hagler advised, "don't be afraid to try new things...you don't have to just listen to the experts...seek out as many different resources as you can."
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