Putting Real “Life” Into Life Skills by Pam A. Labellarte

As parents one of our key roles is that of preparing our children to have the tools to  become successful adults. Since our children each have a different set of gifts and challenges, the preparation for each of them can vary greatly.  And the definition of a successful life can vary even more.

So I began searching for answers to the question, “Where did the concept of teaching life skills to children with disabilities originate?” “Who defined which “life skills” are critical to promote “independent living” for adults with disabilities?” Don’t get me wrong, I am the parent of three children, the youngest, a daughter with Down syndrome. I truly believe that the development of certain life skills is critical, in order for adults with disabilities to participate in the community and life.  In fact, I wish all high school students would receive more intense instruction in budgeting, understanding basic expenses (like car insurance) balancing their checkbook, and developing the skills to be productive employees.

 

The premise of the IEP is to address the individual needs of the student, yet many students with disabilities are expected to master skills, which may not even be considered a priority by their peers who do not have a disability. In her article “Life Skills Don’t Bring Happiness” Colleen F. Tomko [see Download LifeSkills] addresses this topic with wit and wisdom.  It would do us all well to consider where we place our energies as we prepare our children with disabilities for adulthood.

Comments

[Simon Yaritza]

Yes I am agree with the point given in blog.As a parents this is our responsibility to give our children a better future and help them being a good and cultured person.

[pine]

It would be interesting to hear from some parents whose children are now grown; what life skills turned out to be essential, which ones are maybe not so essential but valued; which ones could have been skipped over? Having had two family friends with significant cognitive disabilities, now in their 20's, I can see that hindsight is 20-20!!! but some reservations that their parents had way back when, turned out to have merit. On the other hand, some opportuities to teach skilsl that are very necessary, were missed. I do have to say that ignoring life skills just because they are hard to teach in an inclusive classroom, would have been a disaster for both of these young people.

[M.D.]

I read that with interest. He claims that a lot of non-disabled people pay others to cook, shop, and clean for them. This is true. But that takes money. From where is this money coming? Most of the kids I teach are as poor as church mice.

Children do needs extensive interaction with their peers in school and in the wider community. HOwever, some children with disablities also need targeted instruction in lifeskills. People who are independent as possible have a better quality of life and are happier than those who are not as independent.

What I'd like to see happen is for the schools to put back shop classes, home ec (where they actually read and sew and not the text book based classes they have now), auto repair, and all the other classes for ALL the students.

[paula rich]

I agree with the writer life skills are more important for children with disabilities. Certainly all schools should have this as an essential part of there curriculum. We really can not expect children and students to do well in any area unless they are taught and equipped with the skills to do so. In the same way that we prepare students for the world of academics they should also be equipped with the tools to function in the world on a daily basis.