Whether your child will be going straight into a four-year university, attending a junior college, taking a gap year, or entering the workforce, life after high school opens up considerably. The extended freedoms are understandably exciting for the kids, but can easily become anxiety-producing, even down-right scary, for parents.
Feeling confident about your child leaving the nest is often about your confidence in your child’s ability to overcome challenges and fulfill his or her responsibilities. Young adults living outside their parents’ homes encounter numerous responsibilities. Does your child have the resources and capacities to fulfill them?
If your child has struggled in school or has slowly emerging executive functioning skills, you may want to consider putting together transition team. A transition team typically consists of the young adult, his or her parents, the clinicians and educators who have worked with the young adult in the past and the clinicians and educators who will be working with young adult in the upcoming year.
Working together, identify your child’s goals for the year ahead, how they will be met, and a game plan in the event a problem occurs. Sometimes, this security net is all a young adult needs to move forward. Sometimes, transition teams meet a few times each semester or year to adjust things like the daily schedule, coursework, or living arrangements. Transition teams also address life skills like budgeting and social outreach.
Franklin approaches a student’s transition to life after high school in a highly collaborative way. Working with a cadre of professionals, each Franklin transition student receives thoughtful, individualized mentoring to address his or her social, emotional and learning needs.
Building a support group of friends and family to help you adjust to your child’s life after school, will help you feel more supported. Establishing a transition team for child should make the entire process less scary for you and your child.
Rachel Fisher
Executive Director
Franklin offers specialized academic tutoring, home school, test preparation, and educational therapy in Los Angeles and Orange County. Contact us for more info!