Life Skills Training for Children with FASD
 
Q:  I want to teach my children life skills, but I CANNOT afford to hire someone. Can you give my suggestions. I understand FAS and hands on approach, what I need is some specific ideas on teaching money, social skills regarding working, time management, banking help, budgeting. Thanks
 
A:  There are some really good life skills lessons on the Internet.  I have links for these on my homeschool web site.  The best ones are as follows:
http://www.workshopsinc.com/manual/
http://www.come-over.to/SpecialEdFAS/socskil.htm
Life Skills for Children With Learning Disablities

Here's three great books that will be very helpful to you:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1889963119/thefasbookstore
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0938510304/thefasbookstore
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0876285477/thefasbookstore
 
Our children CAN learn life skills, it might take them longer, but they are able to learn HOW to take care of themselves.
 
There is something important to remember.  Even though our children can learn social skills and life skills, they may never have enough common sense and good judgment to apply what they have learned in a way that allows them to live independently.  My son KNOWS how to behave and how to take care of himself, but his decisions, even at age 25, reflect a need to be supervised.  He does well sometimes, but not all the time, and neither of us can predict whether today will be a day that he can function on his own or not.  Because he is so vulnerable (to all the secondary disabilities) and the risk is so great and the consequences so severe, we choose not to take that risk, and we both agree to the need for close supervision and guidance for the rest of his life.
 
Teresa Kellerman
Updated June 22, 2003
www.fasstar.com
 

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