Every once in a while we come across a thread that is absolutely so wonderful that we HAVE TO share it. Jason Kneen wrote such a thread about his lovely little girl who just so happens to have Down syndrome.
And yes, this editor may just so have happened to cry a little reading this SO maybe get a tissue or two before you read through.
"My child has Down's Syndrome, what should I expect?"
This. 100% this. pic.twitter.com/vo0Bu0Eoxp
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 21, 2019
Look. At. That. Smile!
Children with Down syndrome are amazing. True story.
Also expect this!#wouldntchangeathing pic.twitter.com/t7yBQKRNlV
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Overwhelmed with the replies, likes and comments about this post and thread — and thank you to everyone sharing their own stories and photos here.
A “quick” thread…
1/12
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
I was totally NOT ready for a child like Rosie. It was a shock when she was born and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t take it well initially.
2/12 pic.twitter.com/PHNRJny7mW
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Part of that was the matter-of-fact process that happens where you’re bombarded with documentation and booklets and basically “manuals” on “what’s wrong and going to go wrong with your child”
3/12 pic.twitter.com/7dT2ZeXUN9
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
It’s devastating to hear how your child’s life has already been predicted and mapped out. All children are different — how can ANYONE predict their future?
4/12 pic.twitter.com/obEDphXtFS
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Quickly I realised that ANY child can be slow to talk; slow to walk; have learning difficulties, and ANY child can be brilliant and wonderful and amazing.
5/12 pic.twitter.com/Mi3ufbJmKc
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Like any child Rosie has been through it — we’d been through febrile convulsions with 2 before Rosie was born, and whilst she avoided that, she suffered badly with Bronchiolitis and was in hospital for a couple of weeks with @binkyboobar in 2015
6/12 pic.twitter.com/UNyy4NUoeh
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Just before Christmas 2017 she was taken into hospital again with the same, but that also turned into Pneumonia— @binkyboobar was with her for the first couple of days but we had a newborn baby and it wasn’t practical to have them all in hospital.
7/12 pic.twitter.com/uJudnEirjE
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
So, I took over, as I can work from anywhere, and stayed with Rosie over Christmas and New Year — we all made the best of it with FaceTime and hospital visits from family.
8/12 pic.twitter.com/Eve62vhcNR
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Rosie I and became thick as thieves over that time and watched Moana together many times and EVERY SINGLE DAY — thanks @TheRock for teaching me all the songs 🙂 — Rosie was so brave, and so strong.
This is her, with assisted oxygen, watching Moana.
9/12 pic.twitter.com/H9e5tNuDF8
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
She met Father Christmas, and the Salisbury football team and just powered through it — with all the injections and tests and cables and pipes etc. She was amazing and SO brave.
10/12 pic.twitter.com/dxUNu94pZl
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
Soon after she was back to her normal self ?
11/12 pic.twitter.com/wZfKfeJogc
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
A year later and we had our Christmas at home and together and she continues to enjoy life, every day, and reminds us and ME how fun it all is.
12/12 pic.twitter.com/7d4j2QCAPQ
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 22, 2019
And then Jason’s responses to people responding is just as rad:
Still amazed from the responses to this thread including lovely photos of Rosie's extended DS family all across the world.
it's been an amazing experience with a massively, positive response.
Sadly a few negative ones which I won't respond to directly except to say…
1/3
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 23, 2019
In response to a DM offering a "cure" for Rosie, thanks but there's nothing wrong with her that needs curing — she's completely perfect.
2/3
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 23, 2019
People with Down syndrome and or any other disability are not sick, they are not broken, and they do not NEED to be cured or fixed. A disability is a normal, natural part of the human condition.
Period the end.
To the "man" that said we should "stop breeding subhumans that feed off taxpayers", I agree, and your parents have a LOT to answer for.
Rosie will grow up to be a million times the human you could ever aspire to be.#wouldntchangeathing
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 23, 2019
To the man who said that he can eat a big ol’ bag of … onions.
She's loves her brother. ? #wouldntchangeathing pic.twitter.com/t6LMTMSZ5w
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 23, 2019
"Rosie, say hello to the world" pic.twitter.com/RJWXRk55YL
— Jason Kneen (@jasonkneen) February 24, 2019
Ok, world, say hello back to Rosie.
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