Parent Advocacy For Special Education Matters
By Martina Sholiton
Because You Can't Get The Time Back. Any parent of any child will tell you they can't believe just how quickly time can go. Any mother looking through her photo album will marvel at how the little baby with the messy chocolate cake face at his first birthday has suddenly morphed into the young per- son studiously drawing maps at his desk, reading in the corner, riding a bike in the driveway, or even preparing for a first date. Grandparents have even been known to advise new parents "don't blink or you'll miss it"
may become less effective. There can also be a nega- tive effect on their self esteem when children have extraordinary difficulties in school or other social sit- uations. Time is of the essence when we are talking about childhood; and even more so when the issue concerns children with special needs. So what is a worried parent to do? It's impor- tant that they second guess everything from the School District , don't take anything the school admin- istration tells you at face value... do your due dili-
when referring to baby's early years; on the day that baby comes home from the hospital for the first time. Any parent can tell you these precious years go buy quickly, and they are impossible to replace. It's the theme of the old song, "Cat's In The Cradle", about a father's regrets about his son's childhood.
gence, and make sure your child has access to all of the programs and services mandated by law; and when necessary turn to an experienced educational advo- cate. Sometimes parents find they need the assistance of someone with experience and knowledge of the law, as well as the school systems. It is impor- tant to follow up to make sure
After all, "You just can't get the time back" may be a common cliche - but everyone who has had the pleasure of watching a child grow up knows just how true it is.
that rights once won are respected. The benefits to children with special needs will be immeasurable. After all, "You just can't get the time back" may be a common cliche - but everyone who has had the pleasure of watching a child grow up knows just how true it is. It's the responsibility of the adults in the child's life to ensure that they have all the necessary tools to grow up and learn happily and successfully. It's incumbent upon parents to put pressure on today's School Districts to make sure that all the won- derful words they use in their mandates relating to the special needs children - and all children under their care - become a reality.
You just can't get the time back. This is more than just a cliche, and to parents of special needs chil- dren it's worth thinking about. Even more than most children, perhaps, it is important for children of spe- cial needs to seize the moment, to make sure they aren't falling even further behind. There are early interventions, with things like autism for example, that can make all the difference to a child if imple- mented at the right age. There are programs that can encourage a less verbal child to speak, there are pro- grams that can greatly benefit children with autism and other disabilities with a social component, but as time goes on and children get older these programs
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