I am the mom of two men with Down Syndrome, both in their thirties. I have to continuously (it seems) remind people that they are men, not boys. I would encourage having the young woman included in an age-appropriate group, if possible. If there are a few young women who are willing to befriend her, that would be awesome, as long as they don't treat her like a pet instead of as an equal. My two men are accepted in the church as members, which they are, but from my point of view, they do most of the hard work of making and keeping friends. They are generally not seen as capable of volunteering, except when they are helping me. (sigh)
If the young woman likes to colour, she could bring what she needs with her and colour in the pew with her parents or new friends. If she wants to be in the nursery, she could be a nursery helper, and with the expectation of actually helping. Please do treat her with respect and as an adult, not as a child. That is most important. Talk to her, not about her in front of her. Bear in mind that she will live up to, or down to, expectations, no matter what her IQ suggests. People with Down Syndrome can be amazing! And they all have strengths and weaknesses, just like the rest of us!
Posted in: Resources to Include New Church Member Who Has Down Syndrome
I am the mom of two men with Down Syndrome, both in their thirties. I have to continuously (it seems) remind people that they are men, not boys. I would encourage having the young woman included in an age-appropriate group, if possible. If there are a few young women who are willing to befriend her, that would be awesome, as long as they don't treat her like a pet instead of as an equal. My two men are accepted in the church as members, which they are, but from my point of view, they do most of the hard work of making and keeping friends. They are generally not seen as capable of volunteering, except when they are helping me. (sigh)
If the young woman likes to colour, she could bring what she needs with her and colour in the pew with her parents or new friends. If she wants to be in the nursery, she could be a nursery helper, and with the expectation of actually helping. Please do treat her with respect and as an adult, not as a child. That is most important. Talk to her, not about her in front of her. Bear in mind that she will live up to, or down to, expectations, no matter what her IQ suggests. People with Down Syndrome can be amazing! And they all have strengths and weaknesses, just like the rest of us!