If I could predict the future...

I was reading through my past blog posts, trying to see if I could come up with a new idea for a blog. This one should be an interesting one to write. If I could predict the future (and I can't), what would I want to find out? I'm sure this subject is one everyone would want to know about their kids. What if you didn't have the first clue about your child's future? Sometimes I wish I could just look into the future to see what is going to happen.

That's where I am at right now. I'm somewhere between she might be "normal", and she may need "some" support. There are really some unanswered questions there right? What do you plan for? I know I made a post about the future a little while back but this subject is always on my mind. Especially when parents are telling you to prepare for "Adult Transition" as young as 10-13 years old.

The obvious question I have is what do I prepare for? I am fortunate that Eden has had a lot of early intervention services and is improving socially every day. She is talking; even though she is a little behind when it comes to her communication skills, she will be able to communicate effectively as an adult.

Self care is something we are in a constant state of still trying to "catch up". She learns very quick but she still doesn't really understand what a stranger is and we are still having a tough time teaching her about them. We have got her starting to ask a parent or her BHP when she wants to talk to a stranger (or anyone for that matter). This way we get a warning, but if she doesn't get at all that they are not friends. My fear is, what happens when she's a beautiful 15 year old girl walking home from school and someone in a car starts talking to her? I'm trying very hard to teach her about strangers, but I also don't want to scare her so she doesn't talk to anyone. There's that line and I don't know how things will change and progress as she gets older and hits puberty.

Another worry, is if she will always have to depend on someone to help her live? Will I be able to remember all of the things I need to teach her before she goes out on her own? How and when to start teaching her to cook her own meals, budget her money, get a job, plan a grocery list and take care of bills? Some things take longer to teach than others because they are complex things. I don't think my parents ever taught me and probably they should have. There are so many variables to this that I'm just not sure if she'll grasp it when she gets out of school.

Do I then prepare for the few years after her official graduation for her to go to college or for her to really get "real life" training on how to be an adult? If I don't what will happen? Will she be dependent on her sisters and parents to help her with this for the rest of her life? I get so worked up about all these things.

I still see her as a little kid and she can't even play outside with her sisters without me watching her. I have to plan for everything, because if I get to the point she is 14 years old and haven't even started. It may be too late for her to get any services at all. So many questions, I'm going to ask before then. I'm sure I'll be talking about the future a lot.

When you have kids you are always worried about the future, but not knowing where your child will fit into the world is a scary thought. I'm sure this isn't the last post you'll hear about my worries, I read other blogs about their children and how hard they are having it once they turn 22 (it's the cut off age for services in the school system). There are so many questions and only in time I will have some answers. I have to be good with that, just waiting and worrying.