Every day I remind my daughter of the advice Ella’s mom (that other Ella) gave on her deathbed, “Have courage, and be kind.” Kindness and inclusion go hand in hand, and it’s our responsibility as parents to instill these qualities in our children.
Today I want to share a kickstarter campaign for a book that every child and parent can benefit from.
My friend Krista, who writes at One Beautiful Life (and designed my logo), originally wrote “This is Ella” for her daughter Ella’s kindergarten class in Vancouver, British Columbia. My daughter is in the first grade, so the memory of the anxiety I felt about sending her to kindergarten is still fresh. It is stressful for every parent, but it was especially nerve-wracking for Krista, because she and her husband had made the decision to enroll Ella in a very large French Immersion school which, had very few children with Special Needs (and even fewer – if any – with a cognitive delay).
Krista was already very aware of the fact that children are quick to notice some things about Ella that are a little bit different, but she wanted a way to draw attention to the fact that Ella is more the same than different. Like every child, Ella wants to be accepted and included, and just because she has trouble saying certain words, it doesn’t mean that she can’t be a good friend.
The purpose of the book is to promote inclusion and the foundational premise is that children with Down Syndrome are more the same than different. Not only that, but that children with any exceptional need or diagnosis have something to contribute.
I love everything about this project and I want my daughter to read this book. I believe so strongly that I backed the kickstarter myself!
Consider taking advantage of this amazing tool to help more children understand the concept of “more the same than different.” Please click through and support this worthy project!