One of my biggest fears as a parent of special needs children is if they will feel included as they reach the secondary setting. Right now they are little. Their peers are starting to notice that there are some differences. One little boy in my son with Down syndrome’s Sunday school class told his mother, “I like playing with him. He listens while I talk!”  I does not seem to bother him that J is nonverbal. Right now it is not that big of a deal.  However, I have noticed that some of J’s peers are starting to move ahead of him developmentally, and so that little worry bug starts buzzing in my ears. That is why I love hearing stories like the following:

Texas high school student with Down syndrome voted Homecoming queen

Student with Down syndrome voted homecoming queen

Senior with Down syndrome voted onto homecoming court