Posts by jhepburn

It is important to always keep an open line of communication with your child’s IEP team, especially in the weeks leading up to your meeting. Be sure to touch base with your child’s teacher and each therapist to discuss areas of strength, concern, progress on goals, and their thoughts for new goals. Be sure to…

Children with Down syndrome are capable learners who are excited and eager to learn. They just need to be given the opportunity to excel. They may learn at a slower pace, but are more than capable of learning. They are strong visual learners. This means that they understand what they see better than what they…

By Michaela Wagner Wisconsin is home to many wonderful things such as Summerfest, cheese, brats and the great outdoors. Wisconsin is also home to two GiGi’s Playhouses, the Madison location and the Milwaukee location. Here at Milwaukee we LOVE to share up lifting news and heartfelt stories with you, our readers. Sticking with the theme of our…

By: GiGi’s Playhouse INC Awareness is simply acknowledging an existence, a challenge, etc. Human beings are so more than an existence or a challenge. Acceptance is an ACTION and a commitment to extend consistent value, approval, and empowerment. I’m very fortunate to work at GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers and honored to know hundreds of…

By Johannes Musial Jonas is 22 now and lives with his parents in the town of Rangsdorf, just outside Berlin. He used to want to be James Bond or a paleontologist, but after doing an internship at Berlin’s RambaZamba theater, he grew passionate about acting. Since then, he’s appeared in six plays and one film.…

by: Kim My husband and I were expecting our second son. I was pregnant and enjoying my pregnancy. This pregnancy was different from my last in that my leg cramps at night were so much worse, I wasn’t able to rest as much ( I was chasing my first born around), and I wasn’t reading…

At almost  40 years old, Jeff’s dream is to get a job at McDonald’s. His sister brought him to GiGi’s for literacy tutoring in an attempt to retrieve some dormant skills. From day one, Jeff has come to weekly tutoring with a pen in his pocket and a smile on his face. His Mom–not so…

BEST OF ALL is the daily challenge to do a little better than you did the day before. It is continual, measurable, celebrated and it never ends. I have asked some of our families to share their best of all moment with us and here are their stories: Brittany and Ethan: Ethan always needed mama to…

Children with Down syndrome are capable learners who are excited and eager to learn. They just need to be given the opportunity to excel. They may learn at a slower pace, but are more than capable of learning. They are strong visual learners. This means that they understand what they see better than what they…