A Conversation with Zachery

Today Zachery and I went to Walmart to have the oil changed in the car. We did our shopping and were heading out to the car when Zachery asked me about Avery driving. Avery has been telling me he is getting a drivers license when he turns 16. And that's a really hard thing for me. I wish he could. I plan on teaching him how to operate a car, but there is no way he is ready to look for signs, marks on the road, people and all the other clues involved in driving.

So as Z and I were getting in the car he asked me about Avery driving. To be honest I wasn't paying a lot of attention to what he was saying. I was trying to put the groceries in the car, make sure he got in and was just generally distracted. So he was asking me when Avery was going to drive.

"Zachery I'm not sure." "Well when Avery is as big as you, he will drive." "Zachery, honey I hope so but I'm not sure." "Why?" Zachery asks as only a four year old can. "Well, Avery's disability makes it hard for him to learn how to drive, so I'm not sure if he ever will." I answer.

"What's a disability." Zachery wants to know. Sigh, all I wanted to do was get over to Taco Bell, get something to eat and get home. But how do I not answer? "A disability is what makes it harder for Avery to do things and learn things." "Oh," he says, "is it harder for me to do things too?" "No, Zachery it's easy for you to do things. That's why we have to help Avery." With all the wisdom of a four year old Zachery tells me, "but Avery doesn't like it when I help him with his homework."

Ya see that's what I'm up against. My four year old is trying to help my fifteen year old with homework. At Avery's open house, he was showing us his new tools to do his math. He was demonstrating by doing a math problem. So I ask him, "Avery what's 2 plus 8?" When Zachery yells out, "10!" This is what it's like when Avery is doing his homework. I ask him to read something and Zachery yells out the answer. It takes Avery a little longer to give the answer but Zachery doesn't give him the chance. Then Avery gets mad and yells at him and guess what? Zachery yells back. It's quite fun.

So this is my beginning to explain down syndrome to Zachery without it changing how he looks at Avery. Because that is my biggest fear. Zachery calls Avery his best brother. I don't wan that to ever change.