Dear Annie
and judgment are not productive. Focus instead on modeling healthy self-esteem, especially for the young people in your life. Self-acceptance is contagious.
Dear Annie: I just read the response from the parents who seemed to be patting themselves on the back for how they handled their child who dropped out of school. I’ll bet most of your readers, including “Been There, Done That” are unaware that, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, 1 in 5 children who have learning or attention issues, including disabilities like dyslexia and dyscalculia, drop out of school. These disabilities affect reading, writing, math, organization, focus, listening comprehension, social skills, motor skills or some combination thereof.
If you have a disability that has gone undiagnosed, you are three times more likely to drop out of school. I would almost guarantee their child is one with a disability. Children with disabilities, diagnosed or not, can usually push through to high school. Eventually, they want the torture to stop.
Here is my recommendation for any parent in a similar position, who wants to really help their child:
--Start by requesting, in writing, a full and comprehensive neuropsychological testing including all academic areas.
--Hire a tutor with a background in learning disabilities.
--Find a therapist who specializes in adolescent behavior.
--Enroll your child in virtual school or private school.
Again, the story you printed was hardly uplifting or inspirational; instead, it was a sad commentary on why we have such an explosion of drops out and addicted young people in our country. It is a parent’s job to figure out why a child would want to drop out of school, not let them. I hope parents will instead try the tactics outlined above. -- Dawn W.
Dear I appreciate your thoughtful insights and regret not speaking to these points myself. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act helps ensure that students with disabilities are granted the accommodations they need, and coming up with an individualized education plan. Parents who wish to learn more can visit the Department of Education website (https://www2.ed.gov) and enter “FAPE” (short for “Free Access to Public Education”) into the search bar.
“Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie” is out now! Annie Lane’s debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information.
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