Episode 3 - A bad joke, tattoos and Idaho

In this episode Jenna tells a joke that falls flat, Sam is now famous and wants a free tattoo… and so much more! We hope you love it! Sam Balegno has Down Syndrome, lives in Massachusetts and eats a lot of pizza. Jenna Balegno (his older sister) lives in California, has a dog named Norman and eats a lot of pizza. Listen in on their casual and candid phone calls to each other and get a little insight on what it means to have Down Syndrome… and more importantly… what it doesn’t mean. Welcome to the SammyCalls podcast!

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After the first episode of SammyCalls I wrote about a pamphlet my parents had made when we were younger called "Just Like You" in the show notes. After reading, my dad sent a few copies of the pamphlet to me so I could see the real deal. I actually can't believe how vividly I remembered the details of it but it must have made an impression! I wanted to type out the contents here so you can see what my mom and dad were thinking, as fairly new parents of a child with Down Syndrome in 1992.

{Cover}

Just Like You

What friends want to know about kids with Down Syndrome.

{Inside}

If you look and listen carefully, you will see... we are not so different, you and me.

JUST LIKE YOU. I am a kid with Down Syndrome and I'm just like you. I like running and jumping and playing catch. I like pizza and cheeseburgers, but I don't like brussel sprouts much. I laugh when I'm happy and cry when I'm sad. I dream about spaceships and going to the moon. I like birthday parties, especially mine, and having friends over to play. When I grow up, I want to be a race car driver or a lifeguard , or the person who takes care of animals at the zoo. But most of all, I want to have friends, just like you.

EVER WONDER WHAT DOWN SYNDROME IS? Everyone has millions of tiny little cells inside them that you can only see with a microscope. And inside each cell are even tinier things called chromosomes. Your chromosomes decide things like how tall you will be, the color of your hair, and whether you will look more like your mother or your father. Most people have 46 chromosomes in each cell. But kids with Down Syndrome have an extra one. You can't catch Down Syndrome. It is something you're born with.

EVER WONDER WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE IT? Having Down Syndrome means I have to try a lot harder than most kids to learn things. Sometimes, learning my school work is like being in a room full of grownups talking about things I don't understand. Has that ever happened to you?

Having Down Syndrome also means my muscles don't always work as well as other kids. Have you ever tried to run fast in the water at the beach? The water slows you down and sometimes makes you fall. That's what it's like when I run on the playground.

And having Down Syndrome means I can't always speak clearly enough for other kids to understand. When I try to say some words, it's like talking with your mouth full. Sometimes I use sign language instead of talking. Do you know any signs? I can teach you.

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL, ANYWAY? Some people treat me special because I have Down Syndrome. I need special teachers to help me keep up with my school work and to help me learn how to speak better. But I don't need to be treated special by my friends. All I need is for you to give me a little more time to think about things, then look and listen carefully when I speak. Besides that, all I want is to be treated just like you.

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Inspiration by Sam Balegno, Grade K
Child's point of view by Jenna Balegno, Grade 3