This is a collaborative post by Caitlyn Bell.
When you have learned that your child requires speci’al attention, you know that his life would be more challenging than others. So, it is likely that when you ask him to perform some task, and he fails, you let it be. But the question is ‘why?’ Is it because he needs you to know his limitations or because you fear he cannot achieve?
That brings us to this thought — If you believe that your child cannot learn, how do you expect your child to even try anything beyond that belief?
Here’s how. ‘Behavior Management’ can be misunderstood for punishing or demoralizing your child. However, it is only one of the many ways to set boundaries and communicate in reality. One way to show your kids the love and care you have for them is teaching them discipline.
Here are some other strategies you can follow:
- Always be consistent
All children, be it someone with special needs or someone who is not, the disciplines are for each of them. Discipline is great for children with special needs because they seem to respond well to rules. But here’s a trick, you ought to be consistent with the disciplines when dealing with a child with special needs.
- Understand your child’s condition and empathize
Understanding your child’s behavior requires understanding the whys and hows of their condition. There can be several unique medical, behavioral, psychological, factors that affect their development. Sympathy will only get you a little far, but accepting them will open new doors of wisdom and learning.
- Try simpler messages
Usually, when you tell your child what to do and how to do it, it is achieved by communicating with words. However, the case might not be similar to a child with special needs. For them to understand, you can use simple messages, like pictures, role-playing, or even gestures that inspire and guide them to do what they expect.
Whatever the language is — verbal or visual, make sure it is simple to understand.
Children with Learning Disabilities
Love, encouragement, and support make every kid grow, but for kids with learning disabilities, these optimistic and positive aspects can help them emerge with a strong sense of self-worth. When things get tough, see it as a challenge. Confidence and determination will keep them moving.
But while dealing with children with learning disabilities, you should remember that your job is not to solve their problem of ‘learning disability’ but to help them be capable of doing themselves.
3 Tips for Dealing with Children with Learning Disabilities
- Do Your Research
Always keep up with new developments, therapies, and educational techniques that can help your child. There are plenty of applications available online to help you do so. Also, an NDIS support coordination provider will be able to connect you to many reputable agencies that would cater to your child’s needs. While you might look for teachers, therapists, and doctors for solutions, being an expert yourself will help you deal with your child a lot more than other alternatives. The more you self-educate, the better you will be at seeing signs and symptoms.
2.Be An Advocate
Having a child with special needs will need special skills from you as well. You need to be proactive and enhance your communication skills. There will be times when you would be frustrated, or annoyed but remaining calm and reasonable will go a long way.
3.Your Child Will Follow You
Your child is more likely to follow what they see as opposed to what you tell them. So, fill up your learning sessions with optimism, hard work, and humor. Your child will appreciate this kind of perspective and imbibe it into their personality.
ConclusionChildren with special conditions like autism and ADHD are more comfortable with a disciplined environment, where they can predict what happens next. So, sticking to a routine is extremely important and helpful. Some autism therapy techniques work on enhancing their abilities while also reducing specific symptoms. But remember, every child with autism might need a unique approach. Haven’t we learned, What works for one doesn’t have to work with all?
