Shifting Roles + Responsibilities
One way that you can prepare your child for adulthood is by beginning to shift roles and responsibilities to them.
Think of the day-to-day tasks that you must complete for your child. Which tasks can your child begin to do for themselves now, without any support? Which tasks will they need some help with at first? These tasks are the first shifts that you can make to help prepare your student. Here are a few daily task ideas:
Choosing and preparing lunches
Loading, unloading, folding, and putting away laundry
Cleaning with different tools (mops, brooms, vacuums, dusters)
Setting alarm to wake up in the morning
Another way to shift roles and responsibilities is to ask for and keep track of your child's dreams and goals for the future in both living and working. For example, if your child is looking to live on their own, you may want to look for more intensive ways to shift daily responsibilities to them.
As your child reaches high school, it will be increasingly important for you to include them in the decision-making process at annual IEP meetings. Shifting to self-determination and self-advocacy can be tough, but your IEP team is here to make it as seamless as possible!
Entitlement vs. Eligibility
These two terms are often confused, so let's clear that up!
Entitlement refers to things that are automatically (or through legislation) given to you, like rights as a person with a disability under ADA. Your child is both eligible for (upon evaluation) and entitled to special education services until they turn 21 (or graduate from high school).
Eligibility refers to things that you must apply and be approved for, such as funding through a waiver or SSI/SSDI funds.
We often discuss services and agencies that your child may be eligible for, but there are also many rights that they are entitled to as a person with disabilities.