Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Know Trig Had Down Syndrome

I read about a mom of a 14-year-old boy with Down Syndrome who says she’s glad she didn’t learn of his diagnosis before he was born…  I totally understand.

Model Amanda Booth didn’t learn her son Micah had Down Syndrome until he was 4 months old. Even now, she and her husband limit their online research about the disorder, and they say it makes their life more full. Their son isn’t limited by what he “should” and “shouldn’t” be able to do. He learns at his own pace and is one determined little boy. Being part of his life helps his parents slow down their pace and enjoy every stage of life together.

When they were waiting for the diagnosis, and Amanda would get worried, her husband Mike helped her get a bigger perspective:

At first, the mom admits, “I would cry and say, ‘What if he does have Down syndrome? What are we going to do?’ But Mike just always said, ‘It will be fine. He’s Micah. He’s here and he’s still going to be our boy.’ It was that simple for him, and that really helped me to calm down about the whole thing and see it from a different place.”

… When their pediatrician asked on diagnosis day if they wanted information of what to expect, Booth says: “My husband and I declined. We didn’t want to box in our son because of how something has been in the past, because if you know anything about Down syndrome at all, you know that is it drastically changing generation to generation.”

This whole article where she talks about their family’s journey and what life is like with Micah is so sweet! And it reminds me a lot of our family’s journey.

We (the kids in my family) didn’t know Trig was Down Syndrome until after he was a few hours old. Looking back now, I’m glad we didn’t know. We would’ve built up preconceived ideas about what our brother would be like and worried too much about it. Trig is one of our biggest blessing (along with Tripp of course) and really is the light of our lives!

Watching him at his 1st grade concert just a couple nights ago melted my heart. There’s no way to put it in words — He’s just so “Trig.” And in our eyes, he is perfect!!

Amanda Booth nailed it when she said this:

Parents “read all…about people saying, ‘Your life is going to be changed forever for the better [having a child with Down syndrome],’ and in the moment, you’re like, ‘They’re just blowing smoke because that’s the PC thing to say,’” says Booth, “but then you get there and you realize how absolutely true it is.”

Little Micah, she explains, “gives me a love that I never thought was possible…He’s so sweet and he loves to hug and [does] everything that someone will typically say about a person with Down syndrome…and it’s amazing. He’s a lover. He’s sweet. Why would you ever not want those things?”

It’s so true. All the people I’ve met with Down Syndrome are special, sweet, loving, and kind — and it is so sad that more than 90% percent of babies with Down Syndrome won’t ever get the chance to be born.

I know this mom, my mom, and any other mom with a Down’s child would agree that these babies are such blessings and bring so much joy — and if they are not beyond loved, they certainly deserve to be!

If you’d like to learn more about when Trig was born, read it in my book:

Read more on the Patheos Faith and Family Channel, fan me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram and follow this blog on Twitter!