July 15 is my son Charlie’s 13th Birthday – could you do me a personal favor to surprise him?

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July 5, 2021 – Monday

My almost-13-year-old son Charlie (who has developmental disabilities – likely significantly impacted by in-utero Lead exposure) just started his own YouTube channel! He turns 13 in just ten days – on July 15th!

Because of the pandemic and his disabilities (and being offered NO appropriate school options by the public school system since the pandemic started), Charlie literally has no friends, and I am trying to do what little things I can to support him that he might also find exciting (since there’s no possibility of a party — as his two most favorite people in the world [his two older brothers] are not able to be home with us this year for his birthday!)

Turning 13 is a big deal, and I would love for this big day for him to be equally special [even though developmentally Charlie is closer to 7 or 8 in many ways, he is very present to the idea that 13 is supposed to be a big deal birthday]! He loves YouTube, and – together with the help of his 16-year-old brother, Avi – has just launched his very own YouTube channel yesterday! I would love to have him “unexpectedly” have a bunch of subscribers to his channel in time for his birthday!

OMG! He’s 13 already! My baby is turning 13!!!

Some of my friends and readers may clearly remember when Charlie was first born! I took him – as a brand new weeks-old-baby – to the National Healthy Homes Conference in Baltimore in 2008 (which was the first time I presented at a National Healthy Homes Conference and is when I first met so many friends also working on Lead poisoning prevention policy and advocacy!) I actually got the call from the CDC inviting me to participate in that conference while I was in the hospital with Charlie – just hours after I had given birth! The CDC called me in response to the Today Show piece that aired about an hour or two before Charlie was born – which we all had also just watched in the hospital. [It had been pre-recorded in May — here’s that link, if you are curious!]

…Back to Charlie’s YouTube Channel…

I have no idea what Charlie plans on posting on this channel, but I am so excited to see what he will create — he is a very creative kiddo! He spontaneously came up with the name for his channel while playing a board game [Abalone] with Avi, who then helped him to conceptualize and put together his logo/header graphic! #RubinBrothers #TeamWork

Could you do me a personal favor?

Would you please do me the favor of subscribing to Charlie’s YouTube channel as a birthday surprise for him? [It has no content yet, lol — you can unsubscribe later; I won’t be offended!] If we can get a bunch of subscribers in time for his 13th  birthday on July 15th, that would be amazing. He said he is planning posting his first video tomorrow!

Thank you for considering this silly request. It will totally make his day to see a bunch of new YouTube subscribers when he wakes up each day from now to his Birthday! [Hey — if you have kids whose channels need subscribers too, please drop their links in the comments below so we can all support each other’s kids in this way!]

Thank you for supporting my Charlie – it will make a big difference in the life of a child who has been significantly impacted by the pandemic! [ Here’s the link to Charlie’s YouTube channel. ]

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

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