| Helping children survive and grow into capable | | | | step in and ask for interventions early if they are |
| successful adults is a concern that most adults have | | | | needed. |
| who are raising or helping to raise children. Most of us | | | | If you suspect your child has any kind of learning |
| are familiar with the statement "Children are our | | | | problem, early intervention is a must. Children with |
| future." I believe the reverse is also true, "We are our | | | | learning problems are at greater risk of dropping out of |
| children's future." This is a challenge that all adults | | | | school and never reaching their potential. The earlier |
| should take seriously as we help our children survive | | | | the intervention and remediation occurs increases the |
| into happy, healthy, successful adults. | | | | likelihood that they will be able to progress in reaching |
| One of the major ways we can help children reach | | | | their potential. Whether the learning issue is autism, |
| their potential and grow up to be successful adults is in | | | | ADHD, hearing, speech or another problem area, there |
| the area of education. We can do this by making sure | | | | are many resources and interventions available to |
| they have access to the very best schools and | | | | helping them succeed, learn, and stay in school. |
| teachers we can provide for them. The education a | | | | Keeping close contact with your child's school and |
| child receives is one of the major keys in determining | | | | teachers will help you as a parent or parent figure |
| the degree of success children will reach in their | | | | know when to intervene and whether progress is |
| lifetime, and the first three grades are the most critical | | | | being made. If this progress is not happening, |
| years of their education. | | | | adjustments and modifications can be made. Do not |
| As a former teacher and principal, I would encourage | | | | hesitate to advocate for your child when intervention is |
| all parents to monitor the growth during these very | | | | necessary. The children I always worried most about |
| important years of schooling. We do know that if a | | | | were those who did not have an advocate to insure |
| child is reading at or above grade-level by the end of | | | | that they are treated in a fair, kind and caring way at |
| third grade, they have a much greater chance of | | | | school. |
| success in subsequent grades. Close contact with | | | | More information can be found at |
| schools and teachers is a very good way to know | | | | parentingchildrenforsuccess. |
| what is happening at school and allows parents to | | | | |