High Expectations of Parents Result in Child’s Future Success

Blog feature image

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

More about these tips…

Additional Resources

About the Author

Photo of Anna Gouker

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.
 More about Anna
 More Blog Articles by Anna