Five High School Graduation Tips For Special Needs Parents

NEW YORK - June 20, 2017 - PRLog -- Celebrating a high school graduation can be very exciting but also a little scary for special needs parents. Leaving the known behind and entering new territory can be an unsettling experience, even with fresh potential for growth and success ahead.

"Special needs parents are leaving the comfort and security of the familiar school experience with their child. Now, together with their son or daughter, they must adjust to the new environment of a more adult, community centered or work-oriented world," said Deanna Picon, founder of Your Autism Coach, LLC  and author of The Autism Parents' Guide To Reclaiming Your Life. "But whatever lies ahead, parents should take tremendous pride in getting to this significant milestone in their child's life."

Parents can apply these simple tips to celebrate their child's achievements as well as their own:

● Recognize your dedication.  Raising a special needs child isn't easy. Managing all aspects of your child's daily living – including personal needs, school activities, therapy and medical appointments – can be overwhelming. Balancing job and family responsibilities is stressful. But because of your determination and hard work, your child will have a better life. And his/her graduation is a major step in this direction. That's worth patting yourself on the back about.

● Take pride in your child's accomplishments.  Graduating from a specialized school is no walk in the park and your child did it. She/he worked diligently and consistently on their demanding and time-consuming IEP goals over the years and performed them to the best of their ability. And now, your son or daughter is a high school graduate. This calls for a huge round of applause.

● Acknowledge your successful school partnership.  Navigating an educational system that was vastly different from your own when you were growing up is challenging. But you succeeded and became an effective, parent advocate.  Most importantly, by actively participating in your child's schooling and being a full partner with the teaching team, you've given your son or daughter a solid education and put him/her on the path to a brighter future.

● Manage your future expectations.  As with most parents, you just want to give your child the best life possible. But, for special needs parents, it can be more difficult. After high school, your son or daughter may transition to a day rehabilitation, vocational training or volunteer worksite program. Your child will have new personal and/or work-related goals to achieve as they build upon the foundation they received in school. However, there will be new issues and challenges to deal with and overcome as they adjust to being out of school. Continue to support your son or daughter with love, encouragement and guidance. Use all the skills and expertise you've developed over the years and apply them to the next phase of your journey--your child's adulthood.

● Celebrate you!  Know you're amazing. If anything, you're an even stronger, self-reliant and better person for having stepped up to the challenges of life with a special needs child. You're a rock star in your child's life and she/he would be lost without you. You deserve a medal for the heroic things you do on an everyday basis. Nobody's perfect, but you're pretty great!

Your Autism Coach, LLC (http://www.yourautismcoach.com) provides personalized guidance, comprehensive support programs and seminars that address the issues and concerns of parents of special needs children. Now on Twitter (@yourautismcoach), the company keeps parents up to date on the latest tips and advice from Deanna Picon. She shows parents how to overcome the challenges of raising a child with special needs, while building a rewarding life for themselves. Deanna is the recipient of the 2015 "Top Life Coach Writer" Award from Autism Parenting Magazine.