It’s interesting that society often measures success based on the job you hold, the money you make, or the grades you received in school. As parents, you want your child to be successful in all things. For a child with learning disabilities, success can’t be measured through grades. Success for a learning disabled child is about reaching goals. It isn’t easy to set aside preconceived notions about success versus failure, but to help your child be all that he or she can be that is exactly what you must do. There are strategies you can use to help your child succeed in life.
Mountains and Molehills
Having a learning disability does not mean that your child will never be something in life. Actually, it is the opposite. If you keep it all in perspective and don’t make it appear insurmountable, then that is how your child will see it.
Speak Up, Speak Out
You are your child’s advocate. Do your research and learn all that you can about your child’s disability. The better educated you are on the subject the greater the benefits will be for your child in the long run.
Positive Not Negative
Your child needs to know that life is not over because he or she has a learning disability. Focus on the strengths your child has in order to better work on weaknesses.
If At First You Don’t Succeed . . .
Many people allow those with a disability to simply quit trying if it gets hard. Don’t give up and don’t let your child give up. It is so important for your child to learn that in order to reach a goal he or she must persevere.
Take A Deep Breath
You need to teach your child how to deal with stress and frustration. Children with learning disabilities get frustrated easily and this frustration leads to acting out. Teach your child the importance of stepping away from the situation, taking a deep breath, counting to ten, or whatever method he or she is comfortable with in order to calm down.
All children need love and encouragement in order to thrive, but with the learning disabled child the need is even stronger. Remember that the key here is finding ways to help your child to help themselves reach a successful outcome with anything they take on.