I think it's ironic that Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction came up, because the uproar shows how distanced many people are from the true function of breasts. Wait, we're not talking about breasts anymore.

Keep in mind that it is convenient for politicians to cloak a lot of proposed legislation as "pro-child" or "pro-family" when it is another beast entirely; certainly it's been a candy coating for anti-gay-marriage legislation. That doesn't mean that parents actually back all of this legislation in large numbers. And this legislation should not be confused with legislation that is actually pro-child. I am against a lot of the ideas that are paraded as "pro-family". No parents I know espouse all (and most espouse none) of the ideas LeCastor presented, but I could see how this seems the work of parents because that's how it's packaged.

Also keep in mind that most of us who are "children first" put childrens NEEDS first, not children's WANTS first. That might not be obvious in the era of "My Super Sweet Sixteen" or whatever that show is called.

As for equating children, pets and hobbies: it seems to me that children are more important than pets or hobbies. If you don't feel that way, there's nothing I can say that will change your mind and I doubt that you will change mine.

I have a very good friend who's a psychiatric nurse and who for years saw such children brought to the adolescent/child portion of the psych ward by their parents. The kids would invariably be wild at first but would settle down pretty quickly and listen. She attributed this situation to parents who for years did not set boundaries or if they did, were lax about enforcing them. Then when the kid gets to be around 13 or 14, it dawns on the parents that the kid is old enough to get in serious trouble or hurt themselves or someone. They then start really cracking down on the kid and the kid lashes out. In the psych ward, the staff has clear boundaries that they enforce without getting too emotionally distraught (for instance, lights out by a certain time) and the kids seem to actually like having some clear boundaries. The staff tries hard to talk to the parents about boundaries; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Sadly, one child they had...about seven years old...was suicidal and begged to be allowed to live at the hospital.

It's strange how "You might have a kid with Down Syndrome!" somehow is equated with "You might spontaneously combust!" or something along those lines. I have a kid with Down Syndrome and he is the light of our lives and the lives of just about everyone that gets to know him. Plus, kids with DS sleep through the night really early on!

I've noticed among certain of my friends who are well-off that money serves as a trap, a sort of golden handcuffs. People are terrified of trying certain things because it might threaten the money situation upon which they've become dependent. Meanwhile, those with less money are free to try anything as they have little to lose.

I did find the letter a little grating...the people who are around her are so flawed, she is so stunningly beautiful (newsflash...if you have enough money, you can pretty much buy beautiful). But I felt sorry for her at the same time. I think she should take a six-month leave of absence, gather up a bundle of cash and go to New Orleans. Give the cash to local charities, buy some boots and gloves and help the volunteers finish up mucking out/tearing down houses. If she's still depressed, then try the antidepressants.

I don't think there's anything creepy about finding a "silver lining" in my son's condition (and when did I INSIST?). Most people with Down Syndrome are loving and social. Can't I be happy about those things, especially since there is plenty of downside (no pun intended)? The fact is, most people would choose to conceive a child with DS but having done so, many people (including me) choose to continue the pregnancy with the knowledge that the child will have DS.

I know some people have ethical issues with bringing a child into the world with DS. Frankly, I'm not interested in arguing with those people. I can tell you that my son is loved, healthy and well cared for and has a good quality of life.

I'm not arguing that DS shouldn't be prevented. It saddens me that my son will not go to college, possibly not be married and will not have children of his own (almost all males with DS are non-fertile). It's work taking him to therapy and having him followed by several doctors. But that's a problem for ME more than for him. I'm rather making a case that having a child with DS is not nearly as bad as people think. When I found out about his diagnosis 20 weeks into the pregnancy, I was terribly upset. My husband and I cried for several days. Now that we have him, I think "What was the big deal?:

Thanks for the kind words and even more for the encouraging words. My little guy is only 3 so I'm always happy to hear about adults with Down Syndrome who are doing well. When I was coming to terms with the situation, some of the greatest support came from my students, many who had relatives or who had worked with people with Down Syndrome and reassured me that it wasn't the end of the world and that my child would be sweet and loving (albeit stubborn). They were right!

If it's someone who will help, who I'm comfortable seeing in disarray, and who is bringing food, I'm all for it. The 20-min time frame is good though. If someone is expecting me to "host", they'd better wait a month or two. Or six.