Attention all parents!
Did you know the most powerful force in predicting the future success of your son or daughter is decided by your expectations of them? It’s true. If you have high expectations for your child and talk about them, your child will be more likely to achieve them. So what if your child has a disability?
Disability tends to occur outside of what is typical. Straying away from the common form, in body and function, that is where people with disabilities come to be. Therefore, if we have discovered the key to promoting growth and success in our sons and daughters, how do we stay true to what is needed? How do we maintain high expectations when we are faced with the unexpected?
Adaptation and Flexibility when Facing the Unexpected
Perhaps the correct answer is consistent with what we learned in biology class: adaptation. In order to grow and develop when presented with challenges in this world, a certain level of flexibility to change is an essential tool we must all equip ourselves with.
As a parent, it is natural to have ideas of who a child will become and what kind of a life he or she will have. A child’s future will be brighter and more fulfilled when parents make the conscious choice to adapt their vision according to their child’s strengths. There is a difference between expectations that are high and those that are rigid; one must remember to recognize the positive traits of all types and encourage further development in order to witness a child’s evolution.
Quick Tips:
- Start Early
- Promote Education
- Encourage Work-Based Learning Experiences
- Create Leadership Opportunities
- Set Goals
- Develop Social Skills
- Be Open to New Ideas
Additional Resources
- What Matters Most: Research on Elevating Parent Expectations by Erik W. Carter (2014, December)
- Tips on How Parents Can Put Their Children with Disabilities on the Path to Future Employment from the Department of Labor, Disability Employment Policy Resources
- NCWD/Youth is your source for information about employment and youth with disabilities. Our partners — experts in disability, education, employment, and workforce development — strive to ensure you will be provided with the highest quality, most relevant information available.
- Mobility International: Advancing disability rights and leadership globally
- The Real Happy Hour: The Real Happy Hour is a campaign that focuses on the importance that family mealtime and family playtime has for children and teens. Family dinners provide the perfect opportunity when children and teens can talk to their parents and parents can listen and learn.
About the Author
Anna Gouker
Anna is a writer and advocate – check out her blog: Anna Works…Let’s talk about employment, empowerment, and disability. She holds a Master’s of Science degree in Rehabilitation Psychology from UW-Madison.
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