Road to Independence is a book that offers readers a road map to help their special-needs children achieve independence. The innovating techniques in this book offers parents and professionals working with special-needs children ideas and strategies to help children with special needs succeed.
Brenda Batts, Behavior Consultant, and mother of Alex, an Autistic son, shares her proven behavior management and potty training techniques, through her book, Road to Independence. She has compiled over 12 years experience in the rearing of her son and through behavior training for thousands of special needs clients (Autism, PDD, Asperbergers, ADHD, Down Syndrome, Fragile X, etc.). Brenda relates to you as parent and professional of those special children as she takes you down a path, well-traveled, that is filled with innovative tips and suggestions along the way. The central focus of this writing is to help you empower your child to become more independent.
Excerpt
One of the first and most important things to do after receiving your diagnosis is to plan for what is to come. I’m not talking about long-range goals, those will appear as our children develop. I am speaking of short-term, functional goals, that is, a goal with objectives that will help the child become more independent in different areas of his/her life. It is of utmost importance to know your child’s needs, but your needs, as his/her parent are just as important. I am referring to needs, not expectation. The need you have as a parent for your child to be independent, understood, encouraged. The need for your child to communicate his/her needs and wants, the need for your child to reach his/her highest potential…Our children’s needs are so many, that it is difficult to know where to start, and sometimes it is easier to give in, because there seems to be no other choice. But there are other choices, the choice to learn new strategies, the choice to be proactive for your child, the choice to offer your child independence. Those are real choices.
Her grandma always said she had “the blessing”, and to always use it for good, but sometimes there is shame in fame if a person can’t handle it. Don’t let the Boo Hag ride ya
