It’s graduation season! Is your young adult ready to take on the world?
The next chapter of their book is opening! This next chapter has many exciting and challenging things in store. How do you know if your young adult is ready?
Transition To Adulthood
Here at Cutting Edge Pediatric & Adult Therapy, we remain focused on the whole person, big or small. We believe that the transition to adulthood is a vital time that sometimes requires a little extra attention or outside help.
Sara’s Story
Sara was approaching her 18th birthday. It was an exciting time. Graduation was in 4 short months. Sara had a few friends that she keeps close. Her grades were average and she had just finished a winning soccer season.
Life was good on the outside, but inside Sara was struggling. Her room was a mess, soccer uniform shoved under the bed, papers scattered on the top of the dresser, clean clothes were thrown on the floor of the closet. Sara’s teachers reminded her occasionally of missing assignments. She recently missed an appointment with the guidance counselor at school to work on her plans for after graduation.
Sara had a planner, but it was wrinkled at the bottom of her backpack, stained with Cheez-It crumbs, untouched by a pen or pencil.
Sara also had a bank account to allow for direct deposit from the job she had at the coffee shop before the soccer season started. Occasionally she showed up late for work, hair in a messy ponytail, but she made the best mocha latte. When the soccer season started, Sara couldn’t keep up with her shifts, so she quit her job at the coffee shop. Her bank account was down to less than $100 about 2 weeks ago, but she frequently asks for money to spend on shopping trips with her friends.
Sara is an average teenager entering the next phase of her life with choices to make: community college, university, enter the workforce, a year off? What next?
Do you have a “Sara” in your home? You have done your best as a parent to prepare your child for the “real” world, but do they need an extra boost to thrive on their own? As you consider your teen or young adult, think about these areas of their life:
- Vocational Skills
- Financial & Budgeting Skills
- Social Participation/Communication Skills
- Transportation/Driving & Community Mobility
- Academic Performance
- Activities of Daily Living
- Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
- Household Management
- Meal Preparation
- Shopping
- Managing Health & Conditions
- Emergency Situations
- Leisure Skills
- Technology Use
How We Help With The Transition To Adulthood
The role of occupational therapy in the transition to adulthood is to develop skills for participation in life. We find that Temple Grandin summed it up best when she said, “I’m seeing too many geeky, nerdy kids get addicted to video games and they’re going nowhere. It’s making me crazy.” Let Cutting Edge Pediatric & Adult Therapy be your guide on the journey to somewhere.
Your Next Step
Need more information? Want to know how your teen or young adult is progressing on the journey toward greater independence? Contact us for our CEPT Transition Into Adulthood Checklist which offers an exhaustive list of the skills your teen or young adult may need to successfully navigate adulthood.
Anna Morgan, OTR
