Joining host Lon Woodbury on The Woodbury Report today was Linda Rogen, the Director of Programs and Services at Vista Vocational and Life Skills Center in Connecticut. As Linda explained, "parents with special needs teens often don't know how to help them with social, life-skills, financial and education needs as they move into adulthood, the key elements from school to this new life of transitioning into independence." There are additional obstacles special needs kids need to overcome in order to acquire the necessary adult skills." This includes how to manage time, money, transportation, their healthcare and etc, to live independently. They need to learn and be guided through the steps or as we call it- 'Live it to learn it." They learn to have self-determination and to advocate for themselves…they learn to hold their own reins.
Relationships are key in working with these teens. When they are listened to, they are much more willing to learn and you get out of that power struggle. Here at Vista Vocational, they have the opportunity to make mistakes, to be able to cope with changes or when things happen that they don't expect. They learn how to have relationships and we cover "adult topics" with them- sexuality training, how to have a relationship, birth control and the repercussions of their decisions…the facts.
Parents often develop an intimacy with their special needs child, they work so hard to try and fix them and they worry that they will lose that and the child will not need them anymore. These parents with special needs have had to play a more active role with their kids and therefore have a more difficult time in letting go and they avoid dealing with their sadness of their child moving on and growing up. But when they see the growth and maturity in them, they realize they can actually enjoy them.
Listen to the full interview here:
From Special Needs to Independent Living
Contact:
Linda Rogen
860-399-8080
lrogen@vistavocational.org
www.vistavocational.org
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