Many schools are starting back this week. This is not only a fresh start for students, but parents also get a fresh start at being involved in their child's therapy services at school.
I encourage parents to rededicate yourselves to being active in your child's therapy. One of the primary reasons some kids are in therapy for many years is because the only person who works on the goals is the therapist. Of course, just because parents are active in therapy does not always mean that the child will graduate from therapy faster, but it sure doesn't hurt.
Need some direction on becoming more active?
- Ask your therapist for work that you can do with your child at home.
- Ask to sit in on therapy sessions.
- Set aside regular "therapy time" at home. (If you can do this for 10 minutes a day you will see dramatic improvements in most kids)
- Look for opportunities to praise your child for using their new skills. Many kids will do almost anything to please their parents.
- At the IEP meeting, ask for more frequent progress notes from the therapist.
- Ask the child's teacher how the goals are being addressed in the classroom.
- Start a therapy notebook that goes back and forth between home and school
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