21 Signs You Might Be the Parent of a Child With Down Syndrome
Raising any child can be a challenging, joyful and rewarding experience, but parenting a child with Down syndrome can involve its own unique quirks. The Mighty and Downs Designs Dreams*, an organization that designs clothing specifically for people with special needs, asked our readers on Facebook to complete this sentence: You might be the parent of a child with Down syndrome if ____.
Take a look at some of our favorite responses below for a glimpse into what it’s like to parent a child with Down syndrome, and add your own answers in the comment section at the bottom.
You might be the parent of a child with Down syndrome ifâŚ
1. â’Flexibility’ is your mantra.â â Kristin Thomas Cutlip
2. âYou know that baby steps are giant leaps.â â Sally Kennedy
3. âYou understand a diagnosis is a direction, not a destination.â â Ali Hammons
4. âYou smile⌠a lot!â â Kim Sztajer Parnis
5. âYou’re used to every other kid charging to greet your kid with excitement when you enter a room.â â Team KC UpHearted
6. âSloppy tongue kisses become the norm.â â Crystal DiPasquale
7. âYou can see beyond outward appearances.â â Melissa King
8. âYour next big hug is minutes away.â â Liz Schwartz
9. âYour child’s therapists know more about your personal life than your shrink.â â Katherine Allison
10.âYou have your priorities straight.â â Anna Powers
11. âYour child wants to hug everyone they see.â â Calvin Nelms
12. âEven the ânaughty’ milestones are celebrated.â â Debora Miller
13. âYou know what love is.â â Janilee Holmes
15. âYour child sleeps with their chin resting on their knee caps.â â Calvin Nelms
16. âA trip to the grocery store is like escorting the prom queen/king to the ball.â â Liz Schwartz
17. âEveryone in your town knows you by sight as the mom of the kid who shouts âhiya’ to everybody, and they ask you where he is and how he’s doing if they see you out on your own.â â Kerry-Ann Fender
18. âYou don’t treat [your child]Â any differently than any other child.â â Ann Reichelt
19. âYour 11-year-old still comes and crawls in your lap to snuggle every day.â â Patrice Bagwell
20. âYou know how incredibly blessed you are because of [your child] and their diagnosis.â â Angela Palmer-Fisher
21. âYour child has taught you to see the world through the eyes of unconditional love.â â Nancy Dyer
**Some answers have been edited and shortened.
*Downs Designs Dreams is the home of two exclusive clothing brands for people with special needs: Downs Designs and NBZ Jeans. Both brands offer stylish, high-quality jeans with elastic waists, soft stretchy denim and no button or zipper which facilitate independence. The organization is currently pending 501(c)3 nonprofit status and has recently launched its Adopt-A-Jean campaign where they donate a pair of our jeans every Friday.Â
Related: Grandma’s Clothing Line for People With Down Syndrome Needs Your Help