Not just for college ...

We spend much longer being adults than being children, and we see more and more attention in the Down syndrome/intellectual disability 'community' focussing on good adult lives for people with intellectual disability.

While we all know that preparing for life after school, for adulthood is not something that happens a few months before a specific birthday, the paper from Western Carolina University featured in Kelley Hampton's most recent post about preparing for college applies more broadly than its immediate intention and can be a useful reminder for all of us:

Preparing Your Son Or Daughter for College: Suggestions for Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability, David Westling and Kelly Kelley

... (Parents) often ask us, “What can we do to increase the chance our child will be admitted?”

Unfortunately, when they ask the question, it is often too late for them to do the kinds of things that will ready their child for college. The kinds of attitudes and activities that are most important should begin early in life and continue until the young man or woman is ready to enter college. So through this paper, we are reaching out to parents to tell them what we think will best prepare their child for college. We hope you will find these suggestions useful ...

(in Preparing your son or daughter for college, 

Kelle Hampton, Enjoying the Small Things, 22nd April 2015)