Parenting In Practice: How to Advocate for the Whole Child
As summer turns to fall, families with school-age children engage in a familiar ritual – gathering pencils, folders, and notebooks, meeting new teachers, figuring out new schedules and settling into another school-year routine. For families of school-age students with learning or behavioral concerns that affect them at school, this ritual has an added component. These families are also looking at the curriculum expectations of the new grade, wondering how well they align with their student’s strengths and challenges, reflecting on how the last school year went and anticipating how the student might adjust to the new teacher and class structure. Many parents find themselves questioning their roles as advocates for their students –how much is too much, how much is too little, when is the right time to step in, and when is the time to support independence – as well as struggling to balance other competing demands – work, the needs of other family members, and the ever-elusive self-care. While there is no easy path to becoming and remaining an effective parent advocate, keeping a few points in mind may help parents and students clarify their goals, make meaningful progress, and start the year off strong.
