How I Told My 7-Year-Old Son He Has Down syndrome
Kari Wagner-Peck and her husband, were terrified the day they had to reveal to their 7 year old son that he has Down syndrome. The only reason they had to do it that particular day was because the Kari Wagner was getting interviewed by a television station about DS and was worried that if she didn’t get the hard task over with their boy would find out through school after the interview was aired. Her husband was a little calmer about it because things didn’t stress him out as easily. He slept his normal sleep and drank his normal morning coffee after he woke up, Kari on the other hand stayed up all night biting her finger nails.
Thorin, is like any other 7 year old boy, he likes to play with his toy cars and has many Avenger action figures laying all over his bedroom floor. He is also very talented in photography and takes pictures of every little thing he can get his hands on. Just like any other day, Thorin on this particular day was watching “Magic School Bus” and eating Waffles. Kari’s husband Mark went to work at his usual time, but instead of waiting on him to get back from work to do this dreadful task she went for it while he was gone. Kari walked in, like her bubbly self and told Thorin that they needed to talk about something very important. He kept watching TV and taking bites of the waffle like nothing had been said. Kari was so nervous she felt like there was a giant elephant in the room, which was strange, because this was her own son!
"Have you ever heard the words 'Down syndrome'?" she asked.
"No," he said. How's that possible, she thought? "
OK, OK. Have you ever felt like you were different from other people?"
"No," he said in an almost indignant tone.
"OK. Well, I want to tell you something. Yeah... you... have a super power. It's called Down syndrome."
Her son looked at her wide-eyed and made like Mr. Universe with his biceps. He did not think anything of the information that had just been told to him.
The way he reacted was opposite of how she had expected.
She continued, "Down syndrome is an extra chromosome in your body..."
He started feeling around his mid-section.
"You can't see or feel your chromosomes, they are so small."