How to Set SMART Advocacy Goals for Your Child’s Success in 2025

Have you ever felt overwhelmed advocating for your child's education, juggling family life, and maintaining your own health?

In this empowering episode, Genie Dawkins reflects on her 2024 advocacy journey and shares actionable steps to help parents create impactful advocacy goals for 2025. From transitioning her son between educational settings to addressing challenges like inadequate special education support, Genie’s insights are both relatable and transformative.

Discover how to balance advocacy, family priorities, and self-care while ensuring your child thrives. Whether you're tackling IEPs, building clarity around your child’s needs, or celebrating small wins, this episode is packed with tools to empower you for the year ahead.

Key Takeaways

• Advocacy Lessons Learned: Transitioning between schools reveals gaps and opportunities to strengthen advocacy strategies.
• Customized Education Matters: Tailored programs are essential, especially for children with learning disabilities like dyscalculia.
• Mental Health as Advocacy Fuel: Prioritizing your own well-being is key to effective advocacy and overall family health.
• Setting SMART Goals: Break down advocacy goals into small, achievable steps for clarity and progress.
• Self-Care & Celebrating Wins: Recognize and celebrate milestones—both yours and your child’s—on the journey.

Resources & Links

• Goal-Setting Worksheet: Download here
• The Parent's IEP Fast Track Package: Work with me, one-on-one, to create an advocacy plan that's uniquely yours. " Limited Offer"
• Mental Health Apps: Explore resources
• Wrightslaw: Visit Wrightslaw
• Understood.org: Check out Understood.org

Quotes to Inspire

💬 "Advocacy isn’t a sprint; it’s a journey with small wins that build big successes."

💬 "Involving your child in setting their goals makes advocacy more meaningful and achievable."

💬 "You are the architect of your child’s success—clarity and purpose are your tools."

About the Host

Genie Dawkins is the host of The Parenting Cipher podcast, a best-selling author, and an advocate for neurodiverse children. With years of experience navigating IEPs, special education, and family life, Genie offers actionable advice and resources for parents. Her mission is to empower families to create successful educational and life outcomes while fostering well-being and balance.

Join the Conversation

What’s your #1 advocacy goal for 2025? Share it with us on social media using the hashtag #ParentingCipherAdvocacy. Let’s build a community of empowered parents making impactful changes together!

🎧 Listen now and start creating advocacy goals that help you and your child thrive!

🎙️ Stay connected with Genie Dawkins and The Parenting Cipher! Get expert support for special education, advocacy, and family success. Book a complimentary strategy session here, download your free guide “.css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}