Developing Independence and Life Skills | Episode 17
Episode 17: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman
Developing independence and life skills.
Within the Village Engagement Matrix™, children in the Young Tree Stage (8th–12th grade) are learning to make decisions, set goals, and navigate the world with increasing independence, while parents and caregivers are in the Navigator Phase, shifting from directing to guiding as their child prepares for adulthood.
In Episode 17, we discuss how intentionally creating opportunities to practice independence helped prepare my son for adulthood.
The journey began much earlier than high school.
When my son started kindergarten, I dressed him the way I thought he should look.
As I observed him, I realized that many of the clothes I had chosen created unnecessary barriers to his independence.
So, I changed the environment instead of changing the expectation.
We transitioned to clothing he could manage independently, allowing him to experience greater success while dressing himself.
That mindset became the foundation for every new stage of development.
Rather than doing more for him, I intentionally created opportunities for him to do more for himself.
Each scaffolded experience became another opportunity to practice the life skills he would one day need as an adult.
Today, as an Oak Tree, I continue serving in the Consultant Phase, offering guidance, understanding, and support as needed while trusting him to lead his own life.
Through the lens of the Village Engagement Matrix™, this episode illustrates that independence is rarely a single lesson.
It is the result of intentionally designing environments and experiences that allow children to practice, succeed, and grow over time.
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