Planning for the future.

As we get older, we are starting to "adjust" our future plans and dreams. As we were preparing to have a family, never did we expect to have a child with special needs. We had to make some major life changes and plans then but as they get older (and we get older) that seems to happen again. When raising a child with a disability, not only do you change but your future changes as well. When your children are young, many are not concerned with the future. Problem is, they become teenagers before you know it. As we continue to watch our children get older, we are quickly realizing that we need a plan in place for our entire family.

Why am I writing this? Perhaps it's because our son is 16 and it's time to make some retirement decisions. It's not just about my husband and I, it's about all our children especially our disabled child. As we see our friends retire and make some family decisions, every thought or idea we have has to be considered and well thought out to see how it will work for all. Sure this may be the same idea many families have, but most families do not have to provide for their child for the rest of their life.

We need to make sure that no siblings or family members are left with any of the financial burden. Sure they will all help and be there as a family unit but the financial piece is the one that is most concerning. The fact is that we can not just rely on what the government will provide. Everyone wants the "best" for their children so this is no different. We need to make sure that whatever decisions are made, that our children are also protected by having a Guardianship and Special Needs Trust in place. Wills should also be in place.

What about our children? We need to get them ready and trained to be able to live as independent as possible. We need to also make sure we give them good job skills so that they can be working members in society. No matter their ability, we need to reach into their strengths and create good work habits. If they are strong academically and cognitively able, then build on their interests but for many, this may not be the case. I see my son's generation coming through and it scares me to see that we are not focusing enough on their future and fostering independence. On a positive, I do see many more companies employing disabled individuals as well as being more aware of individual differences. I see small businesses being created for these individuals as well. This is certainly a start but we need more and we need to prepare our children for this so they can have a future in some type of employment.

What I want everyone to take from this is that it is NEVER to early to start planning. I understand things happen that may cause a shift in your families plans but we always have to be prepared because as parents, we never know when our last day on earth will be. We want to make sure our children are ready (or as ready as possible) to take on the world! As our son continues on the journey called life, we are focusing on his independent and employment skills. We are working closely with his therapists and school to ensure that we are all working on the same goals. As for us, retirement may look a little differently then we had planned for but this is part of our life. We take it day by day.....