President John F. Kennedy once remarked that “when written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.”
How do you respond to a time of trouble, challenges, or unexpected difficulties in your life?
In this post, I will share a challenge that my child and I faced, and offer advice on what to do if you find yourself in a similar situation.
My child had communication challenges
In my own life, when my daughter faced learning challenges I first began with denial and hiding. “She will be fine.” “She’s too young for me to worry about her reading/making friends/anxiety — it will come; I’ll keep my eye on it.” But, of course, things got worse — most notably her anxiety, and I had to deal with the unexpected difficulty that this brought.
My first thought was that the school will help! But…was I wrong. Her “challenges” didn’t meet what they considered necessary for intervention.
And listen. This girl was running out of the school due to her work never getting done on time. I showed up at the school and there she stood with the most scared look on her face. She was holding on to the fence screaming, “Somebody help me!”
At that time, she could barely read the work she was given and couldn’t keep up with her classmates. By Tuesday, she already knew she would be missing “Fun Friday” due to work not being completed. She couldn’t handle the pressure—and exploded. A few times.
We needed to find extra support beyond what the school could offer
I had to take matters into my own hands. A reading specialist was hired. A psychologist was hired. And YES, I had to put things, needed things, on the back burner to pay for all the outside help. It was a difficult season for us all.
That was 4 years ago, and the sacrifice and investment was well worth the outcome! Berkeley is now a thriving 5th grader. She has a presence about her. When she is on a stage dancing, singing, or teaching, it’s hard to keep your eyes off of her! Her self esteem has shot through the roof over the past few years. Her crisis was our opportunity.
Many do not receive the support they need from the school system
BUT—I am seeing this same scenario again and again talking to families here at Family First Speech Therapy.
Public school special education programs are being overwhelmed with huge numbers of children showing vocabulary deficits, social problems, articulation challenges, and behavior problems because their foundational learning was unavailable in the past 3 years. This is a crisis facing many of you, and it is affecting your children and your family.
As someone who works directly with children who have communication challenges, I know firsthand how important it is to get the help you need. That’s why I want to share with you the incredible work that we are doing to help your children overcome their challenges in a fraction of the time that schools can offer.
Working with us can provide personalized attention and care that your child may not be able to receive in public school programs. Our expertise and dedication can make all the difference and help children build the skills they need to communicate effectively with the world around them.
Make your crisis become your opportunity!
Not only will your child’s challenges be resolved, but you will feel a sense of relief knowing your child is getting the help they deserve. 💗
If your child is struggling with communication challenges, I encourage you to consider working with a Family First Speech Therapy or another private practice speech pathologist. We can provide the support and guidance your child needs to overcome their challenges and reach their full potential. We have relationships with experts all over the world and want your child to thrive. Email me for more information about working with Family First Speech Therapy.
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Photo by Erika Fletcher on Unsplash