Science... my weakest subject at school.
Something I've learnt as a parent carer of a loved one with Down Syndrome, is that you learn fast.
You learn fast in areas you never thought you could fathom.
When Hermione was born, real-life science was suddenly something I needed and wanted to revisit from my school days.
Chromosomes, genetics and brain function were all subjects I was hungry for knowledge for.
But it didn't come easy to me.
It's amazing how loving someone so deeply makes you push your own boundaries in terms of your learning abilities as an individual.
For instance, I did not know that for many people with Down Syndrome, the frontal lobe, cerebellum and brainstem can all be affected by the presence of that extra chromosome.
I knew my little girl would have a degree of learning disability, but I wasn't really sure how the genetics would cause this.
Finding out new information helps me to understand Hermione's behaviour and how she perceives the world.
It helps me understand why, when she is overwhelmed by new situations, her behaviour can present as challenging.
I still sometimes don't know what to do and I get hot and flustered, like any other parent, but it helps me to try to pull back from the situation, and look at it through Hermione's eyes.
She needs us to be her anchor, her calm and her comfort, when the world is not adjusting to her perception of the world.
With a deeper level of understanding, I hope that I can always try to comprehend that parenting Hermione will always be slightly different to parenting an atypical child.
But difference is the best thing.
Hermione continues to teach me things I never knew I could understand, and everyday she teaches me the importance of patience, deep love and tearing up the rule book when it comes to traditional parenting.
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