Denying happiness to our future generations of young adults with disabilities?

The text of the second section of the United States Declaration of Independence, which was primarily drafted by Jefferson reads:

“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life,_liberty_and_the_pursuit_of_happiness)

This famous quote is one that I often think of when asking myself “What do I wish for myself, my family and my kids?” When thinking of liberty, we consider ourselves fortunate to enjoy life in a free country, knowing that so many are still fighting for liberty all over the world. But Happiness? We all want to be happy, to raise happy children and later on, hope that our children grow to become happy adults who enjoy their lives. But what does it really mean to be happy?

I think many parents raising children with disabilities like us have difficulties defining and understanding happiness. Kids that have speech and language related disabilities have an amazing ability to express happiness through gestures and body language but many times it is not that easy to identify happiness in children who might face challenges in expressing their feelings.

However, even when we may question what makes our children happy, it is always easy to notice the pleasure they express when their work and their achievements get recognized. They take great pride in being able to prove the abilities they will carry to their adulthood and hopefully to their future careers.  After all, we raise children with hopes that one day they will be able to become happy adults who enjoy their lives and work is a big part of that.

In his book Gross National Happiness, Arthur C. Brooks argues that “within the bounds of normal work-life, the data are overwhelmingly clear that for most Americans, work in and of itself brings happiness” (2008, p. 159). “Success is rocket fuel for our happiness” says the author and then concludes that: ”work also brings happiness because it gives our lives meaning and meaning brings happiness, sooner or later” (2008, p. 162).

But what if you have a child with a disability? Taking this author’s research and conclusions further, I am truly worried about my ability to successfully pursue happiness for my young son born with Down syndrome.

In a recent Washington Post article, Tim Shriver, the Chairman and Chief Executive of Special Olympics, notes that “Seventy to ninety percent of people with intellectual disabilities in the United States are estimated to be unemployed. Special Olympics studies reveal that more than sixty percent of Americans don’t believe that children with intellectual disabilities should be educated in their child’s school.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/14/AR2010021402893.html)

My son is among the fortunate ones to be successfully included in his home school, to have wonderful educators and peers who greatly contribute to the development of his abilities while building confidence and tolerance among his friends. We are confident that as long as his inclusion remains successful, he will grow to be an adult able to pursue his work goals and his employment dreams. Still, I can’t help but wonder: Will the work place be ready to include him? Will it be ready to give him opportunities to work, to be successful and pursue happiness?

Aristotle once said “happiness belongs to the self-sufficient” and Brooks (2008) reaches the conclusion that “the misery is compounded when people are reliant on the state for support because they cannot take care of themselves” (2008). Does it mean that currently, our society is denying happiness to the millions of people with disabilities who are unable to work because of the lack of working opportunities to fit their abilities, to fit their interests & career dreams? What about our younger generations with disabilities, working so hard to be better prepared for employment? Will they also be denied the unalienable right to pursue happiness?