23 Quotes for Parents of Children With Down Syndrome

We believe we do not travel through these lives of ours alone. We believe that community is an essential part of our journey and that, as parents, friends, and supporters of individuals with Down syndrome, when we’re traveling through tough or uncertain times, we need to lean on each other for hope, uplift, love, and a little laughter.

So we reached out to our community for some help, asking parents what quotes inspire them or support them through challenging times. In the spirit of generosity and togetherness, they pitched in. Here are the quotes that cheer them on when they most need it:

1. “Some days are better. Some are worse. Look for the blessing instead of the curse. Be positive, stay strong, and get enough rest. You can’t do it all, but you can do your best.” — Doe Zantamata (via Karen Prewitt)

2. “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” — Mary Anne Radmacher (via Alexa)

3. “I’d choose you in a hundred lifetimes; in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.” — Kiersten White (via Kelly Josh Caskey)

4. “I wouldn’t change you for the world, but I would change the world for you.” — Unknown (via Micky Pecchia)

5. “We teach our children courage simply by showing up as we are, trusting our voices, and advocating for what we and those we love need. Don’t be afraid to stand in your power.” — Brittany’s Baskets of Hope

6. “One of the secrets in life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.” — Jack Penn (via Ryan Lucas)

7. “Remember: you are a wonderful mom!” — anonymous friend (via Laurie Hinson Noyes)

8. “In the end, I am the only one who can give my children a happy mother who loves life.” — Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard (via JD)

9. “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”
— William Faulkner (via Jesse)

10. “One of the great things that any community can do is not teach tolerance, but live tolerance, not talk respect, but live inclusivity.” — Michael Pritchard (via Deepa)

11. “But listen to me; for one moment, quit being sad. Hear blessings dropping their blossoms around you.” — Rumi (via Ashley)

12. The most compassionate people set boundaries: listen to your gut — trust yourself — and remember that the most powerful words we can say are “yes” and “no.” — Brittany’s Baskets of Hope

13. “Believe in yourself as a parent. No one knows your child better than you. You have been there since their first breath. There is no better advocate for their needs.” — Unknown (via Liz)

14. “Somewhere along the line we stopped trying to fix the child that we had expected and started to enjoy the child that was.” — Meg Blomfield (via Brittany’s Baskets of Hope)

15. “Turn your fears into excitement and imagine: what’s possible?” — Brittany’s Baskets of Hope

16. “Remember that we need to expect and accept. I try to keep that in mind with Henry as much as I can. I accept him and the struggles he (or any child, really) may face along the way, but I also expect things from him. I expect him to do many wonderful things, but I accept that it will be at his own pace.” — The Wells Family

17. “You don’t know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” — Bob Marley (via BerkLee’s mom)

18. “Friends, Down syndrome is only ever a pro.” — Heather Avis (via Amy)

19. “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” — Maya Angelou (via Marianick)

20. “Remember, always, that you are enough. You are exactly the parent you need to be, the one whose destiny matched perfectly with your child’s. Be patient with yourself. Be compassionate. In fact, it’s when you’re trying your hardest and you’ve gone all in but you’re face down on the floor that you most deserve your own compassion.” — Brittany’s Baskets of Hope

21. From Chris Burke, who happens to have Down syndrome: “Having Down syndrome is like being born normal. I am just like you and you are just like me. We are all born in different ways, that is the way I can describe it. I have a normal life.” (via Karen Prewitt)

22. “Do not forget: this is a collective journey. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and to show your children that strong people support others and accept support. We don’t have to do it alone.” — Brittany’s Baskets of Hope

23. “I want everyone to know that people with Down syndrome can do anything — really, really anything.” — Brittany Schiavone, founder of Brittany’s Baskets of Hope

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