Go tell it on the mountain

I think I may possibly understand the perspective of those people who go door to door "selling" their religion to you.  I have always been highly annoyed by them- judgemental, yes, sorry- but I may kind of get it a little now.  

A the risk of sounding cultish, my recent "religion" is called a neurodevelopmental approach to learning and working with my son who has Down syndrome.  And I want to go call it on the mountain.  Because I believe it is the best thing for helping my son develop his full potential.   Yes, I know that different things work for different people, and that everyone makes choices that work for themselves and their families.  It's just that I so desperately want to connect with someone in person who does what I do.  The online community is amazing, but I want flesh and blood, chatting over coffee while the kids play, comparing notes about program activities relationships.  

Our program, which is called NACD, truly believes that Liam can achieve a lot, and that we are never to make assumptions about his capabilities.  They believe that parents are the best teachers, and they guide us in that process every step of the way.  They combine occupational, physical and speech therapy all in one as well as helping us be advocates for our kids when it comes to medical issues.  I have found a community of moms online who are taking the same approach to their kids who have DS as I am, and it has been so incredibly helpful and reassuring to go on those forums to ask questions or just to see that everyone is talking about the same stuff I am.  

I am thinking about the friendships we make once we are parents.  Like how I have only made other parent friends since becoming a mom.  I think we tend to make friends with those who have similar parenting styles and life interests as us.  But I may be wrong.  It could be totally refreshing to have friends who have different styles and beliefs than you do.  But usually there is some common thread that brings you together in the first place.  I think I may slowly be starting to make some friends who live in my area that I may not have known otherwise.   We may have different interests and ways of navigating the new challenges that our newest additions to the family have brought us.  But we have kids with Down syndrome.  And frankly, no one else will truly get that like these moms will.