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For some parents of children with special needs, separation anxiety can be an emotionally intense experience that stretches over several years and limits a family’s activities.  I know because I go through the whole process every day with my own children.  It has been helpful to me to understand the differences between typical and atypical separation anxiety – and even more helpful to find ways to work through the anxiety not only without tears, but also with increased self-confidence and independence for my children.

In a nutshell, my son is 7 years old, going into 2nd grade next year. He is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADHD, and Anxiety Separation Disorder. He has been receiving Special Education Services since age four. His strengths are in Fluency/Comprehension and Spelling. His weaknesses are in the Personal & Social Development area. His placement is in a self-contained/ small class setting for Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics and in mainstream classes with adult support for all other subjects. I want to learn to create SMART IEP goals for his areas of weakness. I am having a hard time figuring out how to make to make behavior goals SMART – specific, measurable, use action words, realistic, and time-limited. I appreciate suggestions or examples.