Carer Tips - Prepare early for independance

We all want our children to be independent (not dependent upon us). It is most parents biggest dream AND fear.

Sadly, although many dream of this, not as many actually implement strategies to teach and maintain the taught practices to their person with a disability.

There seems to be a belief that they will do everything for this person and one day, they will just morph and become totally independent!!!!

Intellectually no-one believes this BUT in reality, this is what happens time and time again.

Below are some tips, if this sounds like you, but you have no idea where to start:

• Start early: Start as early as possible, ensure the task is suited to age. Instead of asking what your two years old would like to have read to them, show them a book in each hand & give them the choice of 2
• Build confidence; As they get older and conquer the required task, add another & another, don't stop, because they can have archived one thing
• Goal setting; Set 2 - 4 goals per year to be taught
• Empower; STOP being their mouth piece. Every time you speak for them, you are telling them they are not important.
• Priorities; HOW IMPORTANT IS IT? Is it really a major disaster if the clothes are not pegged properly?
• Teach; the old-fashioned things; like washing up and drying the dishes. Even if you have a dishwasher. It the skills you are teaching - not the convenience
• Communicate; Teach from the level they understand; not try to get them to understand you, use short sentences and only 1 or 2 instructions at a time.

Over time this becomes a complete task, achieved by them with your support.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Next blog will be more tips towards independence.

Meanwhile pop over to the iDareU website & check out what is going on

http://www.idareu.org.au/