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Essential Life Skills That Can Be Transformational For Gifted Children

15th February 2023

Many parents these days feel as if they are fighting an uphill battle by just trying to teach their children everything they should know to survive. Most of the time actions are often left untaught as the situation never demanded. However, for children with special needs, the smaller tasks that you often take for granted can reach monumental status.

This is why a parent's job as a teacher is never ending and you might want to upgrade yourself by pursuing a B.Ed. in Special Education to be aware of some mind-boggling teaching attempts. Keep reading on to raise your child’s self-esteem.

Difference Between Adaptive Living Skills And Life Skills

As parents of special needs children, you must have heard about Adaptive Living Skills (ADL) and Life Skills but might not know the difference. Before you learn about what life skills to teach your children, you need to know the difference between the two.

Source: researchgate.net

Adaptive living skills are mostly the ones that are learned on their own and do not require active teaching. These skills are often picked up by the kids by imitating their parents, or basic encouragement and instruction, and of course, making mistakes. However, these skills are not always learned in the same timeline as others and might not be picked up by your kid at all. This includes:
 

• Using the restroom
• Taking a shower
• Washing hands before meals
• Making bed
• Wearing clothes
• Tying shoelaces
• Brushing hair and teeth
• Using cutlery

Life skills on the other hand are more like following a routine that helps you in your day-to-day life to make you a better human being. These skills enable your child to learn how to communicate and maintain social relationships as well. Life skills include:
 

• Maintaining cleanliness
• Doing laundry
• Paying Bills
• Balancing accounts
• Performing given tasks etc.

Basic Life Skills To Teach Your Special Needs Child

Here is a list of the top five skills that a child needs to learn to fulfill their goals at home, school, and leisure time:
 

Source: nutspace.in

1. Personal Hygiene

   Every child must learn how to take care of themselves and their clothes. For kids with special needs, learning this might be a tiny bit difficult. However, to teach this you can give them a routine they can follow while at home or school.

   Ask them to brush their teeth before and after going to bed, or make it a habit to wash their hands before and after every meal. Even getting dressed in day clothing after waking up and combing their hair can be included in the routine. Initially, these might need reminders but ensure to reward them after every correct step to help the activities register in their brain.
    

2. Reading A Schedule

   Teaching your kids how to read a calendar or a schedule is also an essential skill they need to learn. This can be best accomplished by making a chart of their daily schedule so that it is easy for them to comprehend.

   Start with a personal schedule that includes a proper order of the events to be followed in a day. Use words, pictures, symbols, and colors where necessary to make the schedule fun and easy to read.
    

3. Telling Time

   Every individual needs to learn how to tell the time and this should not be any different for a child with special needs. To teach this you can either use a watch, clock, or a digital readout. This will not only help them to know the time and read a schedule but also makes them responsible for time management.

   To see if they have learned it correctly, you can conduct activities like giving them a handout of time that they should wake up, get dressed, go to school, eat meals, take a nap, etc. This will not only establish a daily routine but also keeps them on track.
    

4. Recognizing Emotions

   Recognizing and controlling emotions is a huge life skill that every child must learn as feelings play a major part in the building who we are as a person. Thus, teach your child about the various emotions and how these can change from time to time.

   Make sure to let them know how to express it positively so that they do not offend anyone. Watch a video or do a role play to teach emotional reactions and their consequences. You can also engage them in various activities to let them practice these skills on their own.
    

5. Prioritizing Tasks

   Learning how to prioritize tasks will be essential when your child grows up. Thus, teaching this to your child is of utmost importance. Achieve this by creating a to-do list for them and mentioning the time and personalized tasks for each other.

   Ask them to tick every task after completion and note down the time when they have successfully achieved them. Additionally, add consequences in case they get distracted and are unable to complete their chores on time.

Be The Gift Of A Parent!

While not all life can be taught in a classroom, it is essential for you as a parent to teach the essential ones at home. Once you determine what works for your child, you can teach them at their own pace. Nothing can be achieved overnight so it is essential to be patient and stay consistent. Furthermore, if you are just beginning your gifted parent journey, consider pursuing a B.Ed. in Special Education to facilitate the learning experience.

Written By: Aditi Ghose