Holding Space and Time for Difference

This commentary discusses themes drawn from twelve narratives by parents of people with Down syndrome. While each parent described unique aspects of their children and of their family's experience, a common thread throughout was making room for the different ways in which their children experienced and navigated the world. They described their children's differences sometimes being honored and sometimes being devalued, and in their narratives consistently advocate for ways in which we can hold space for those differences. Healthcare institutions, schools, and family life are all sites where their children's lives are shaped by assumptions and values about how to see, interact with, and accommodate difference.