I am a special needs parent, advocacy is my primary job.

We speak on our child’s behalf.
We run interference between our child and friends, therapists, teachers, schools, and other “professionals” who may know a lot. But they don’t know my son. My child can do some self-advocation. We have taught him how to speak up when he needs to. Maybe yours can’t. Mine couldn’t always, and there are times even now as a high school Junior when he is not able to. This is my primary job as his mother.
Advocacy takes different forms depending on the situation, the age of the child, and the timing.
Advocacy can also take the form of teaching others about our children.
When we advocate for our kids we may be seen as helicopter parents.
Successful advocacy is not micromanaging.
When the time comes, it is our responsibility to teach our kids to self-advocate.
Advocacy is my primary job as a special needs parent, and I will do it until I am no longer able, or he no longer needs me to.
Looking for more information on Homeschooling With Autism? <– I wrote a whole series about that!
Dawn is retired 20-year homeschooling Momma and hospital CNA, currently working on her BA in Technical Communication. She lives in Eastern Washington with her husband, the youngest 2 of their 6 kids, 2 yappy pomeranians and an assortment of backyard chickens. She writes here as well as at DawnMariePerkins.com (her personal/geek blog).
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