The importance of having high expectations for your
child with a disability
Having high expectations when raising a child with a
disability requires challenging yourself, your child, and others to see your
child’s gifts and possibilities as well as his or her needs. Choosing the path
of high expectations is certainly worthwhile because it helps our child be the
best he or she can be.
What tips could you share about
raising expectations for your child with a disability?
I think it's essential to create and hold high expectations for our children. After all, if we don't do who will? When we see an ability in our child we nourish it. When s/he succeeds we celebrate and tell others. I consider myself my child's marketing director. There is a lot that others see in her that they think needs fixing. We focus on her strengths. She learned to walk at 3 and talk at 4 1/2. Now she is closing in on reading at grade level, loves math and science, is an obsessive cook and is learning Hebrew. At 10, I think she now holds even higher expectations for herself than we do!
ReplyDeleteHi - I think this is a wonderful idea and wish I'd had something like this when my son (now 22) was younger. I write a daily blog in which my son Sam figures prominently. Thought I would share this post, as well as the thought that high expectations are going to be different for every parent.For Sam, the highest expectation I had was that he could "live in the world" and Thank God, he has met and exceeded that hope:
ReplyDeletehttp://wordsandmusic365.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-dinner-with-sam-1052012.html
I agree with APerling. Go with your child's strengths. My son with autism has many challenges, but shines when is comes to anything musical. He is in 6 th grade band without any aide and was recently picked ( on talent) to play in a small ensemble band.
ReplyDeleteYou know your child best, always be their advocate, even if you're not sure they can do it. My experience has been that our kids tend to rise to the challenge.
I also think it's essential to create and hold high expectations for our children. Besides on the academic side we need to do set and teach high standard on the behavior side. I expect my child to be polite, to sit as quietly as possible, to learn basic manners and that "no" means no. Does it take longer? Yes. Is it a lot of work? Yes. I know people are tired when they come home but you can't give up and not instill discipline. The rewards are great and at school it allows children to spend more time in class and learn more.
ReplyDeleteI like to think about having "great" expectations rather than "high" expectations. We simply don't know what our kid will be or do, but I'm pretty sure it will be different from what I expected while I was waiting, pregnant with him. There can be a grieving process for those assumptions but now I look at it more with that true expectation and anticipation - what will he become? I know it will be great in his own way and path.
ReplyDeleteI think of it as never setting the bar too low or settling for something taht might not challenge her in the way she needed to be challenged. It was also helpful to focus on her learning style and what supports she needed in order to be able to attain those high expectations.
ReplyDeleteHow do you think school districts could assist in helping families to create a successful learning environment for their children?
ReplyDeleteI do have a disability, and sometimes high expectations give me a lot of pressure. It helps to see somebody else achieve them so I know it's possible.
ReplyDelete