Preparation is essential before advocating for your child. Why?
- It keeps you on track. A written agenda can help make sure you cover the basics with those who work with your child.
- It helps you you be concise. Everyone's time is valuable. A written agenda will help keep the presentation shorter. The preparation will help you think through how to word things in the best and concise way.
- Preparation of a one page document will help everyone have a lasting reminder about your child. It is a great way to talk to them after the meeting. "Yes, I understand that he doesn't seem to be listening. Look at the information on the sheet I gave you. Number 4 talks about his auditory processing issues. It also gives some strategies to try. Why don't you try some of those listed and see if it helps. I will e-mail you next week to see if they have helped."
- Preparation for the child's peers. If you want to talk about your child's difficulties and diagnosis, it will take a lot of preparation. If done well, it can be a real asset to have the peers assisting and empathize get with the issues the child faces.
We will look at these over the next few weeks. I am looking forward to hearing from parents about the challenges and victories in these areas.
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