When parents are first dealing with what has recently been diagnosed as an ESE student they can feels somewhat adrift. They do not really know what the next step is in getting their child help and they don’t really understand what having an ESE child really means. First thing is first. ESE stands for Exceptional Student Education and any child who special education or any sort of related services who is also enrolled in a public school system. At times it can be hard for a family to accept that their child might need some extra attention or a separate lesson plan than the other kids in his or her class.
What parents of an ESE student need to understand is that being labeled as such does not mean a lifetime of agony and sadness for their child. In actuality there is a chance that in the long run an ESE student could actually have a happier life because their learning problems have been diagnosed and can be treated.
It is important to note that ESE students do not want to be treated as though there is something wrong with them or that they are in some way radioactive. This diagnosis is not a time to make it worse by acting as though they cannot still do things that other kids are able to do simply because they need different accommodations in the classroom. Parents of ESE students need to fight the urge to over indulge the draw to somehow drastically change the home life in a negative way because of a new diagnosis that can be uncomfortable to deal with in the beginning. Families of ESE students should make sure that while their children are undergoing a different type of education they are going through some counseling or therapy of their own as a way to make the transition easier for everyone.
