Bringing Up Down Syndrome

One of the biggest benefits BUDS offers is the opportunity to meet other families with similar interests as yours, and thereby establishing friendships.  These friendships are formed between parents and siblings of the children with Down Syndrome and, more importantly, between the children themselves.

A common concern of many parents is whether or not their children will establish valuable, long-lasting friendships.  This is even more of a concern when the child has special needs.  For this reason, BUDS has formed FRIENDRAISER events.  These are monthly events organized by BUDS that  invite members to come and enjoy getting acquainted with other members in an informal, fun environment.

There are FRIENDRAISER events for all ages:

• bowling parties
• miniature golf outings
• teen dances
• spring egg hunt
• trips to the zoo
• hayrides in the fall
• brunch with Santa, to name a few.

All of these events have the goal of bringing together our members in order to facilitate lasting, life-long friendships.  As a member of BUDS you will receive newsletters and monthly reminders informing you of these.

Inclusive Education is defined as the opportunity for all students, regardless
of their disability, to be educated in age appropriate regular classes in their  neighborhood school.

One of the primary goal of BUDS is to educate our families about the laws that are available to protect our children regarding their education.  It is our intent to empower parents with the knowledge they need to get the education they feel is best for their child.

All of us have a vision for our child's future.  For some, that vision may involve our child attending his or her neighborhood school with siblings and local friends.  For others, it may not.  Regardless of your family's vision,
it is important to understand what laws are available to protect your child as he or she enters the educational setting.

Since September 2000, BUDS has been the recipient  of an annual grant from the Division of Developmental Disabilities which enables us to offer a variety of training programs and workshops to our membership regarding inclusion.

We encourage all families to attend these workshops in order to learn about the services that are available for our children.  This will enable you to make the most educated decision about what choice is right for your child and your family.

REMEMBER: Special Education is a service, not a place.

The definition of an advocate reads: a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.  A self-advocate, then, would have to be defined as a person who publicly supports or recommends him or herself.

Another goal of BUDS is to encourage our children to be self-advocates.  People like Chris Burke (star of the popular TV show Life Goes On) have paved the way for thousands of individuals with Down Syndrome to follow their dreams and set high standards for themselves.

The time has come for all individuals with or without disabilities to stand up and be counted.

"The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who
sang best."

-Henry Van Dyke