Down syndrome parenting 101 - Natalie Hale

This is a savvy book for parents, grandparents, teachers, and anyone who shares life with a person with Down syndrome! It's full of uplifting advice and best practices gleaned from the author's personal and professional experiences raising a son, now an adult, and teaching educators and parents how to teach children with Down syndrome to read. The book offers inspired takes on a host of important issues, from learning to recognise and celebrate your child's personality and gifts to finding a great teacher for him, and from insisting your child pull his own weight to giving your child his space as an adult. The author -- equal parts mentor, humorist, enthusiast, and realist -- takes readers by the hand and walks them through the various life stages, experiences, and people they will encounter with their child including: getting to know and fall in love with your child, interacting with medical professionals, literacy, discipline, school, transitioning, and independence. Chapters are short, a plus for busy parents, and can be read individually or sequentially. Throughout, many characters -- the author's son, friends, and students -- appear, serving as anecdotal evidence in support of the author's points and adding to the storytelling effect. As an added bonus, the book includes a Foreword by Martha Beck, parent of a child with Down syndrome and author of the New York Times best-seller, Expecting Adam. Turn to this upbeat book for credible, realistic advice and for a dose of bibliotherapy when you need validation and perspective.