Raising a child with learning disabilities comes with unique challenges. It is necessary to adapt your parenting style to a method that best facilitates the kind of education your child needs. One way to encourage healthy learning is to focus on areas that capture your child's interests. Prompting your child to get involved with the arts is a great way to foster a love of learning in young minds. There are many types of art worth trying, and many community opportunities that are welcoming to kids with learning disabilities. The guide below, shared by California Advocacy Group, can help you find ways to encourage your child to explore the arts.
Boy in orange shirt with brown hair uses a paint brush to paint colorful painting.
1. Attending a Painting Class
Drawing and painting are excellent forms of self-expression for children who struggle to convey their thoughts in other ways. Putting brush to canvas can even be beneficial in helping your child solidify lessons or concepts into memory. Painting classes tend to be welcoming, group-based environments that can help children socialize while learning valuable skills.
As an alternative to a traditional painting class, your child might also find an interest in pottery painting. Pottery classes are literal hands-on experiences that can be thoroughly enjoyable for children who respond well to tactile learning.
2. Finding a Craft Workshop
Painting might be the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of art, but it is not the only avenue of creativity for children. Many art supply stores and museums offer family-friendly craft workshops for all ages. Scrapbooking, weaving, and sculpting are just a few of the crafty skills your kids can learn from local teachers. Adults can stand to learn a lot from specialized workshops too, and participating alongside your child can really help with establishing a comfortable environment for them.
To help support your child’s crafting skills, you might convert an unused room into their own studio. Giving an unused room a purpose may also increase your home’s value. Be sure to document any upgrades you make with receipts, measurements, and photos.
Smiling girl with glasses and brown hair in a tight bun wearing black ballet unitard.
3. Participating in Dance Class
A child struggling in the formal education structures of school may be able to flourish when given the opportunity to learn differently. Dance, combining physicality and rhythm, challenges participants to learn in new ways. If your child has a learning disability, seek out local opportunities for them to participate in dance.
4. Starting Your Own Class
As you join your child on their journey for artistic inspiration, you might just find that you have a passion for teaching that extends beyond your familial relationships. You can seize that passion as an opportunity to hold your own teaching lessons. Whether your personal love is for painting, music, or anything in between, you can find resources in your community to help you get started as a teacher of the arts. You might choose to volunteer at a local workshop or hold lessons in your own home.
Your stint as a teacher can quickly evolve into a full-fledged business, so you should think about registering as an LLC in California. Operating a business as an LLC comes with the benefits of limited liability, tax advantages, and greater flexibility. Each state has different regulations around forming an LLC, but you can guarantee compliance and avoid costly lawyer fees by using a formation service.
Children with learning disabilities may struggle or become frustrated with education, but finding an interest in the arts can help ignite the passion to overcome such obstacles. Even if your child has trouble learning artistic skills as well, family-friendly classes create a warm environment where everyone can have fun while learning at their own pace. You might even find new inspiration in your own life as you accompany your child on their learning journey.
For help with IHSS appeals and applications message us at California Advocacy Group today!