Teens in Transition to Community Transportation.
"Teens in Transition to Community Transportation" is a very informative article especially for parents and families of individuals with disabilities. It discusses the issues that families encounter and need to address as their children enter adolescence. One of these being transportation as a way to gain greater independence. Parents are informed about their teen's shift in interest towards friends, extra curricular activities, and earning money with part time jobs. However, getting out of the house and developing a separate schedule from the rest of the family requires a lot of special consideration, preparation and extra planning more so for teens using wheelchairs because of the many barriers which may hinder their mobility and progress. Often if individuals with disabilities are not trained in this area, they are forced to depend on others for transportation. In spite of American Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, public transportation systems have been slow to implement mandated changes, such as conversion of vehicles.
The article also looks at new transportation alternatives to maximize self reliance. The urge for independence is the beginning of the transition into the world of community life and employment. In the process of learning new transportation modes, students not only gain a greater sense of personal responsibility but can also learn and acquire good safety practices and lifelong traffic skills as well. Addressing the idea of transportation and mobility during teen years creates more opportunities to practice assertiveness, problem solving and life skills through community interactions. However, families and individuals need to be realistic about their situation, expectations and goals depending on their situation. But, they also need to learn to let go and help their teen mature which is difficult for most families because of they think of the risks their teens might face and are concerned about their vulnerability and safety.
All these points and much more are addressed in this article to inform families of individuals with disabilities how to prepare their children to become more independent.
Reference:
http://www.articlearchives.com/society-social/families-children-family/1488925-1.html
