“Curing” Down Syndrome?

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

I found out last week that my friend Ellen Painter Dollar and I won an award from the EPA (Evangelical Press Association) for our point-counterpoint essays about disability published for Christianity Today online. My article was called, “Considering ‘Curing’ Down Syndrome With Caution,” and my argument focused around two points. One, the language of “cure” is erroneous. Down syndrome is not a disease, and the presence of an extra 21st chromosome impacts individuals with Down syndrome both mentally and physically.... Read more

Perfectly Human by Margot Starbuck: Movie Night, The “R” Word and True Confessions

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

“What? Since when did tard become politically incorrect?” I felt confused when I heard these words fall off the lips of a character in the 2005 movie, The Ringer, starring Johnny Knoxville. I wasn’t surprised it was coming from Hollywood. I was shocked, though, that the movie had been recommended by a friend whom I respect. That it was produced by Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver only confounded me more. Several years have passed since I first saw the movie and... Read more

Learning to Listen

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

Listening. It’s a daily topic in our household, and it’s one of Penny’s greatest challenges. A few weeks back, she and William were visiting my aunt and uncle. Aunt Jane asked Penny, “Where are your listening ears?” “I left them at home,” she replied. “Don’t worry, Penny. I brought them for you,” says William. He plucked them out of his pocket. “Oh! Thanks.” And from there she was all set. It doesn’t always work so easily. Penny’s teachers have had... Read more

Is Every Little Life a Miracle?

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

“Every baby is a little miracle to celebrate, support and protect.” Is it a trite advertising tagline? Or a profound truth? Take a minute (literally, one minute) to watch this ad for Pampers: Should we celebrate babies born to teenagers? Babies born through in vitro fertilization? Is there a way to celebrate the life of every baby without supporting every means of reproductive technology? What do you think? Read more

What I’m Reading: Articles on Atheist Chaplains, War, and the Autism Epidemic

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

Should atheists in the military have chaplains to serve their needs? That’s the question asked in a recent New York Times article, “Atheists Seeks Chaplain Role in the Military.” The article discusses the spiritual climate of the military, which it claims is overwhelmingly Christian. Although the number of atheists is quite small, they are comparable to the numbers of Jews, Muslims, etc. Should taxpayer dollars be used to provide chaplains for them? And what does atheist chaplaincy look like? Another... Read more

Sometimes It’s Good Not to Have a Choice (Or What I Didn’t Know Didn’t Hurt Me)

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

It sounds like good news. Researchers have developed a non-invasive test to detect Down syndrome early on in pregnancy. As this new test becomes widely available, it will replace current screening tests for Down syndrome. Any woman who takes the advice of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who currently recommend screening for Down syndrome for every pregnant woman, will know definitively the chromosomal makeup of her fetus in the first trimester. It sounds like good news. All pregnant... Read more

Sleeping Like a Baby? New Post on the New York Times Motherlode blog

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

I have a guest post today on Motherlode, the parenting blog of the New York Times. It begins: Our middle child, William, had trouble sleeping as a newborn. And as an infant. And really up until he was eight months old. He fussed. He squirmed. He screamed. The slightest noise jolted him awake. Sunlight caused distress. During the day, he invariably woke up after a 40-minute nap. During the night, he required rocking and swaddling and shushing. He nursed every... Read more

A Child Writes to God

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

It’s easy to be dismissive of children’s capacity for spiritual understanding. I’ve written recently about my trouble explaining Easter to our kids and about our messy prayer times as a family. There’s a part of me that wants to give up on theology with our children until they are old enough to talk about it on my terms. And yet I’m also aware of Jesus’ constant admonitions that we pay attention to what children are like when it comes to... Read more

What My Children Teach Me About Love

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

Over the course of the past week I have soothed Marilee after her brother bit her on the arm (Look carefully at the oval ring of teeth marks in the photo to the left. In his defense, he seemed shocked by her tears and said, “Mom, I was pretending she was food”), cleaned up a “poo poo accident,” rocked a crying baby to sleep, spilled milk in my own lap while cleaning up dinner, done six loads of laundry, wiped two noses two... Read more

Perfectly Human: An Impossible Goal by Jessica Bigby

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Amy Julia Becker

My friend Jessica Bigby has offered a Perfectly Human post before: “Walking Toward Freedom.” In it, she talks about what it meant–both physically and spiritually–to start learning to walk without her canes. Recently, I learned from Jess that after years of assuming that skiing was impossible for her, she decided to learn how. Not only does this story inspire me to keep learning new things (see my post from earlier this month, “Still Growing Up“), but it also reminds me... Read more