Dear Parents of Prospective CLE Students,
You may be intimidated about choosing what’s next for your child. Just getting your child through K-12 may have absorbed all your attention until now.
You may find leaving behind familiar supports feels risky, like launching a rowboat on the open sea.
Such thoughts occurred to my husband and me as our son was completing high school. He’s now in his fourth year in CLE and has grown in so many ways because of this program.
Our Child’s Pathway
In his first two years, our son was a day student in the Washington, DC-area CLE program and worked part-time bagging groceries. In his third year, he moved into the CLE apartment living program, continued his studies and, with CLE’s help, found a more convenient job. This year, we’ve put academics on hold and focused his CLE services on gaining work experience and preparing for a chosen career.
How CLE Helps
Here’s why CLE’s support has been vital to our family.
- Young adults have less respect for parental advice. But our children need extra time and guidance to develop independence. The CLE staff can provide that while creating some space for our kids beyond home and family.
- There’s a lot to address. As young adults’ lives become more complex, moms and dads may be unsure how to motivate or communicate with their special needs children. CLE brings a team of knowledgeable professionals to respond to the many facets of our kids’ lives, from friendships to finances to wellness.
- Setting realistic expectations for our kids is hard. It may not be clear to parents what goals suit their child’s strengths and weaknesses. CLE can help clarify this and assist in mapping a route to the future. The staff’s training and patience in facing our kids’ challenges may add deeper perspective to what parents alone could offer.
- CLE can help you, too. Need to talk to your child about something important, but not sure how? Seeking feedback on your child’s strengths and weaknesses? Need a sounding board about your child’s capabilities? It’s a relief that CLE knows your child well and can assist when you’re uncertain.
Many parents I’ve spoken to agree that simply growing up has had more positive effects than any kind of therapy, schooling or activity. CLE provides a supportive, structured place for your child to continue the all-important growth needed to transition to independent adulthood.
Sincerely,
Mollie Katz
Bethesda, MD
