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Adventures In The Mainstream: Coming Of Age With Down Syndrome
Adventures In The Mainstream Coming Of Age With Down Syndrome Author:Greg Palmer Like many parents, Greg Palmer worries about his sons future. But his son Neds last year of high school raises concerns and anxieties for him that most parents dont experience. Ned has Down syndrome; when high school ends for him, school is out forever. The questions loom: Whats next? How will Ned negotiate the world ... more »without the structure of school? Will he find a rewarding job in something other than food service? To help him sort out these questions and document his sons transition from high school to work, Palmer, an award-winning writer and producer of PBS documentaries, keeps a journal thats the basis of this thoughtful and entertaining book. Neds talents and interests-in poetry, music, and history-help him connect with other travelers on a nautical excursion around the British Isles, while his father watches from a distance. The years Palmer and his wife nurtured Neds interests seem to pay off when Ned shares a favorite poem with a stranger or earns his colleagues admiration and wins "Employee of the Month." Gratified and a little surprised at how easily Ned can sometimes live by his wits, Palmer also acknowledges the parenting challenges: Ned has some gaps in self-help skills, and needs help knowing when to curb his passions, such as bombarding people with unsolicited accounts of his family genealogy. Preparing Ned for the working world-teaching him to handle money and public transportation, and finding him a job-is both amusing and stressful and sometimes has the author questioning his parenting style. Palmer wisely stays out of the way when Ned is working happily in the same office and he recognizes the value of good job coaching when his son is lucky enough to get it. But its trickier business when Ned loses money and skips the bus. Worry over Neds vulnerabilities leads to finally telling his son what it means to have Down syndrome and, Palmer hopes, offering him a dose of reality. ADVENTURES IN THE MAINSTREAM is a lively and insightful account, allowing readers to enjoy Neds strengths and foibles just as his father does. This personal chronicle also gives us a better understanding of whats involved-for parent and child--in a young mans journey from adolescence toward adulthood and greater independence.« less