Life Lessons: Hopes and dreams

As children we are growing, exploring and learning in structured and unstructured settings and we are encouraged to dream and strive for excellence throughout our young lives with the intent of achieving all that we strive for and adopting those same values in our adulthood and continuing to hope and dream. We learn from our parents and our teachers the importance of setting goals and envisioning our hopes and dreams so we will be challenged and have purpose. It is obvious that children see the world differently than adults and their youth and innocence help to educate and guide them and their youth is a time that is very forgiving. It is in our youth that we learn the most and have the highest capacity for learning through our experiences and our mistakes.

As children develop and learn through their experiences it is essential to help build their self esteem and always encourage them and listen to them. Children are very aware of their potential and instinctively know what they can and can not do and will need to effectively communicate this. It is our responsibility to help them in areas where they may struggle so they can make improvement which will provide a boost to their self esteem which is essential for a young child. All children are capable and have the ability to learn and achieve and it may take more time for some but that doesn't mean they should be forgotten. They have just as much a right to learn as does any child. Autistic children generally fall into this area where teachers and parents have to exhibit a great deal more patience and understanding. Autistic children are very intelligent and it is very important that they get the proper educational experience they deserve so they too can achieve and accomplish and hold onto their hopes and dreams.

Due to the rise in Autism it is very important for teachers to be specially trained in dealing with the behavioral and emotional outbursts displayed by autistic students who are not properly integrated in the schools. It is very easy to lose these students and that is not an option. The schools and teachers have to be more dedicated to these autistic students and their difficulties and the parents have to be proactive in their child's education. Teachers are very instrumental in inspiring and educating our young children and our children are very impressionable and eager to learn. It is essential that both teachers and students work together.

It takes courage and heart to strive to be our very best. We are all blessed with the ability to do so. We just have to believe in ourselves and realize that our best may not be the best but if we put forth sincere effort and aspire to our hopes and dreams then that should make us proud regardless of where we place. We have to realize that we should always set our own personal goals and work towards accomplishing them regardless of how we compare to others and we should never get discouraged. In accomplishing one goal at a time we build confidence and we gain experience in making progress and succeeding. As we set goals and accomplish them we are building our self confidence and our self esteem and taking the necessary steps we need to achieve and bring out our best.

The beauty of being young and innocent is that we can dream and hope and believe in ourselves and know that there should be nothing that can stop us from doing what we set out to do. We have all the time on our side that we need and if we dedicate our life to doing good and striving for our best we will come out on top. This is the best advice I can pass on to my son and know that I will always be there to support and guide him so he too can dream and set out to accomplish all he wishes and be the person he is meant to be. My son is autistic and he is a special person who can do anything in life he wishes. I love my son and I with the help of my wife will always nurture him, praise him and provide him with all the encouragement and guidance he deserves as my parents did for me.

Edward D. Iannielli III