A parent recently told a PACER advocate, “I get so frustrated! Being a ‘good communicator’ doesn’t come naturally to me!”  As an advocate for her own children with disabilities, PACER Advocate Carolyn Anderson said she felt the same way. “I had to ‘act as if’ I could do this long before it felt even a little natural for me.”

               What has helped you learn to be a “good communicator”? 

Sharing ideas means working with others to try to find a solution to a problem. All team members are encouraged to participate. They share ideas without evaluating or judging them first. Once the ideas are on the table, the team chooses a solution to try. A written plan is developed that includes who is responsible for each task, as well as a follow-up plan and a timeline.

               What creative solutions has your team reached through sharing ideas?

Parents of children with disabilities often gain  valuable insights, wisdom and experience that could be shared with other parents who are following in their footsteps. Parents can share what they wish they’d known sooner in raising a child with a disability.

                What do you wish you knew “then” that you do know “now”?