What really matters

A positive attitude

• With a positive, accepting attitude, you will be able to include people with Down syndrome in everyday life and overcome pretty much any challenge that comes your way.
• Let’s aim to make New Zealand a place where people with Down syndrome can say they are accepted as individuals and live in a society where they feel valued and included.

See the person, not the condition

• People with Down syndrome are individuals, just like anyone else, with their own likes and dislikes, achievements, interests, and personalities. 
• Don’t attribute everything to Down syndrome.  All people have their own traits and behaviours, and although these can sometimes relate to the experience of having Down syndrome, they are just as likely to be part of an individual’s character.
• Try to use the phrase “people with Down syndrome” instead of “Down’s people” or “suffering from Down syndrome”.