Helping Children with Disabilities Build Independence: A Simple But Powerful Reminder for Parents

Supporting independence in young children with disabilities is often overlooked, as we tend to focus on educational, academic, or therapeutic goals. But it is one of the most important parts of raising a child with additional needs.

As parents and educators, our everyday choices shape how confident and capable our children feel. Recently, I was reminded of this in a very simple but powerful way.

I recently read a book by the Spanish author Pablo Pineda. Pablo is an actor, educator, and advocate with Down syndrome, and the first person in Europe with Down syndrome to complete a university degree. Pablo is truly inspiring, and I love learning from him because he offers practical, honest advice on supporting children with additional needs.

One thing he speaks about often is the role of families and educators in helping children become as independent as possible. As a mum and as a professional, this really resonates with me and reminds me of something very important.

Here is one of my favourite quotes from him (translated from Spanish):

“Special? What’s special about me is having parents and an environment that fought for me to become as independent as possible.”
– Pablo Pineda

It’s such a simple but powerful reminder. What we do every day matters. When we encourage our children to try things for themselves, whether it’s a toddler helping to tidy up, a child making themselves a snack, or a teenager taking responsibility for certain chores at home, we are building confidence, independence, and skills for adult life.

These small everyday moments really do add up.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What small steps are you taking to support your child’s independence?