Single Dad Adopts Girl With Down Syndrome Rejected by 20 Families

Authored by thedad.com and submitted by Doodlebug510

After two to three months of quarantine, lockdowns are being lifted (for the time being), but it still may not feel very safe to let your kids hang out with their friends. Now summer is creeping in. School is over. Many pools are still closed. Everything is different except for one thing: Your kids’ infinite ability to be “sooooo boooooored.” These fun games to play are perfect for keeping them busy and entertained. Bonus: If you ever get to have your friends and family over, again, they’re all perfect for playing with adults, too.

Pick a “prize” that’s easily held in one’s hand, like a box of candy, a small toy of a gift card in a small box. Wrap it tightly in multiple layers of plastic wrap until you have a giant ball. Repeat with various goodies until you have enough balls for one for each person. Whoever unwraps their first is the winner. For added difficulty, make players wear oven mitts.

You probably remember this game from a baby shower. Each person gets a pacifier or a diaper pin to try to hold onto. No one should use the word “baby”. If you catch someone using the word, you get to steal their pin. Whoever gets the most pins is the winner. You can change the word to fit the occasion: like using “college” for a graduation party.

Give each person a sheet of 5-10 stickers. As they go throughout the evening, they should try to stick their stickers on other people. If you’re caught placing a sticker, you have to accept a sticker from the person who caught you. Whoever unloads their stickers first is the winner.

Player one starts with a dance move — clapping for instance. Player two must start clapping and then add a new move (like head bobbing or hip wiggling). Each consecutive player continues to build on the dance.

You know how to play this! It’s actually even more fun with adults.

6. Honey, If You Love Me…

Can you make another person smile? Good luck!

7. Who Am I? (Post-It note game)

On a stack of post-it notes, write the names of celebrities, Disney characters or anything else recognizable. Next, pop a note on each person’s forehead so they can’t see it but everyone else can. As they mingle, they can ask questions about the name on their forehead until they figure out who they are.

8. Would You Rather?/This or That

Use this giant list of questions to get to know each other. Everyone’s a winner when you’re properly bonded.

If you’re playing with a mixed age group, make sure you keep the choices in mind.

Have everyone write two a few things they like and dislike on sheets of paper. You’ll draw the lists from a hat, read them out loud and try to guess who the list belongs to.

Canada is my favorite place to visit.

I drove all the way to California.

Which one is the lie? Take turns until everyone in the room is given the chance to share two truths and a lie.

Pick a theme (like the first letter of your name or the same color as your shirt), but don’t tell anyone the theme. Start the game by saying, “I’m having a party and I’m bringing…” and the list something that follows your rule. The next person will say, “I’m bringing…” and list something that hopefully follows the rules. If they get it right, tell them they’re invited. If they break the rule, tell them they can’t come because they aren’t invited.

You need a lot of space to play this game that is basically the opposite on hide and seek. Only one person hides and then everyone splits up to go looking. If you find the person, you hide with them. Keep collecting people in your hiding spot until only one person remains.

Have everyone sit or stand in a circle looking at the floor. On your mark, everyone looks up. If they make eye contact, they’re dead.

Using post-in notes like the “Who Am I?” game, give each person a “secret” word and a sheet of stickers. As they chit-chat, others will see what their secret word is, if they use it in conversation, the person who catches them must tag them with a sticker. Keep playing until everyone can guess their secret word.

16. Minute To Win It Games

There are tons of Minute To Win It games out there and very few of them require much prep. Which will your friends and family like best?

Remember this scene from Pitch Perfect? You probably won’t sound as good doing it, but it’s still a lot of fun.

18. Mail Call/A Mighty Wind Blows

Like musical chairs, with a theme. The chair-less person will say, “A mighty wind blows anyone with a red shirt.” Everyone with a red shirt must scramble to find a new seat, along with the person who was standing. The last person standing is the next to blow a mighty wind and pick a new theme.

Give everyone a list of things to find and check off as they party. Let them collect them (if there’s enough), snap pics with phones or tablets or just be able to tell you where each item is located once they’ve found everything.

Give half your friends/family gift bags with a secret item inside. Partner them with another person who doesn’t know what’s inside. Have partners sit back to back. While one person describes their item, their partner must try to guess what it is.

humakavulaaaa on June 14th, 2020 at 08:30 UTC »

So heartwarming. Reminds me of this guy, adopst terminally ill children and spend their last days taking care of them and giving them the love they deserve. https://youtu.be/fqnoGDQ2i2k

GraffitiJones on June 14th, 2020 at 06:00 UTC »

To adopt a disabled baby you are literally committing every day to them for the rest of your life.

This is one of the most selfless things I could even imagine.

Edit: I really hope no disabled people read my comment and thought I meant they're a burden on their loved ones. I've been friends with and known amazing differently abled people for much of my life, and the light that you bring to people's lives cannot be replaced. Like anybody else, once you're a friend or family you don't have to justify your existence. Being yourself and a good person is all anybody wants from you in this life.

Doodlebug510 on June 14th, 2020 at 05:51 UTC »

Background:

08 November 2018 - Single Dad adopts girl with Down Syndrome rejected by 20 families:

Alba was just a few days old when she was put up for adoption by her parents because she has Down syndrome. Sadly, 20 other families passed on adopting her by the time she was only 13 days old. But her story got a happy ending when a single dad stepped in to adopt the adorable weeks-old infant.

Luca Trapanese’s story went viral with the release of a book he wrote about his life with Alba, a story he says “destroys many stereotypes about fatherhood, religion and family.” Adoption laws in Italy are fairly strict, and rarely are single parents approved, but Alba’s condition warranted an amendment to the normal regulations. And Luca said he experienced no trepidation about the decision, driving to the hospital to fill out the paperwork the moment he was approved.

Luca had a history of volunteering and working with children with disabilities, so he felt prepared to raise a child with Down syndrome. And he couldn’t wait to become a dad.“When I held her in my arms, I was filled with joy,” he told the BBC. “I felt she was my daughter immediately. I knew I was ready to be her father.”

Luca said Alba, now 1.5 years old, loves to play and meet new people. “I will spend the rest of my life with a girl I love,” Luca says, “and we will do many wonderful things together.”

Source with additional pics

Edited to add additional link with more photos of them