Tip #3: Provide Opportunities For Your Child To Play Sports
Sports may not be the first word that pops into your head when thinking of extra-curricular activities for a child with vision loss. While some traditional childhood sports like baseball and soccer may not be options for children with low vision, that does not mean they want to sit on the sidelines. Continue reading “The Importance of Sports: Advice for Parenting Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired Tip #3”
Tip #2: Make Braille a Priority
Young children are like sponges when it comes to languages and literacy, so if your child has a degenerative eye condition such as RP, allow them to learn Braille early on, instead of waiting until their vision declines or until adulthood, when it will take far more time and effort. Continue reading “Why Braille: Advice for Parenting Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired Tip #2”
Hands,
stacked and held,
matted and framed
hanging on a hook above my bed.
Four hands. Mine is at the bottom, followed by my grandmother’s, my mother’s, and the tiny newborn hand of my eldest daughter. When a friend took the picture 8 years ago, I had no concept of the significance it would hold for me in future years when the physical hands would begin to perish.
In honor of Mother’s and Father’s Day, during the months of May and June, we’d like to give all the moms and dads of children with RP and other eye conditions a gift: some free advice from 2 people who grew up with low vision.
Each week, we will be featuring a different tip. We would LOVE your feedback, comments, and any questions you might have.
Tip #1 Find Comrades for Your Child
Spending countless hours researching adaptations and technology for your children is time well spent, but if you’re taking the time to do those things, then also take a few minutes to connect your child with peers they can relate to regarding their vision. Continue reading “The Importance of Positive Blind Peers: Advice For Parenting Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired Tip #1”
I first saw Rebecca Alexander on the Today show back in 2009, and I was intrigued by this young, peppy athlete, who was my same age and also losing her eyesight.
The idea of going progressively blind has always sent a nervous chill down my spine, if I’m being honest, yet I’ve always taken comfort in the capabilities of my other 4 senses, thankful that they help compensate for my failing eyes. So the idea of losing another sense, especially one as crucial as hearing, seems unimaginable to me. Yet this is the story Rebecca unravels in her memoir, Not Fade Away. Continue reading “Not Fade Away: A Book Reflection”
I have a dirty little secret to share. A housekeeper cleans my home once or twice a month. And….that’s it. That’s the secret. Pretty dirty, I know.
I am not wealthy, but rather house cleaning is something I prioritize in my monthly budget. It’s not as though my house needs to be perfect. I have 2 small children (8 if you count my husband), and a dog, so a perfect house would be quite a stretch at this point in my life. Continue reading “Mr. Clean”
My locket always reminds me to grab my cane. But I don’t always remember to wear my locket. When my friend Emily first gave it to me last summer, in memory of a crazy, divine experience , I wore it a lot, and I carried my cane a fair amount. But over time, I’ve come up with all kinds of excuses not to wear my locket. None of them good ones.
What if it falls off my neck, and I lose it? What if it doesn’t go with my sweatpants? What if I become the weird locket girl who doesn’t even shower without it? Continue reading “Free”
A bronze locket is just a shimmering piece of metal in the same way that a white cane is just a long plastic stick. Neither of them hold any meaning. Unless you attach it.
The story of my locket begins in a silent monastery in Kentucky, amid rolling hills, Trappist monks, and the clinking of ice water carried steadily on a tray, almost a year ago. Continue reading “Locket”
Spring has sprung, and that means lots of park dates with the kids. Playground conversations amongst the parents can be riveting. Yesterday’s topic of discussion was dishwashers. Some people have them. Some do not. Two of the non-dishwasher moms were lamenting this missing appliance
“Yes,” I chimed in, “That would be so hard not to have a dishwasher.”
“Well, I mean, it’s not that bad,” one of them responded in defense, “You just get used to it after awhile.”
“Yep,” piped in the other mom, “People lived for many many years without the luxury of dishwashers. It’s really not a big deal.”
“True,” I agreed, changing my stance like a crafty politician, “It would probably force me to stay on top of my dishes if I did not have one.” Continue reading “Life Without a Dishwasher”
I hadn’t set foot in my high school since 1997, when I graduated (eeks, I feel ancient typing this!) That is, until 2 weeks ago when I heard they were putting on the play, “The Miracle Worker”. My 3rd-grader had read all about Helen Keller last year in 2nd grade, and she was fascinated with the story of Helen and her teacher, Annie, so my mother-in-law and I decided to take her and my niece to see it. I had also heard that there would be a blind actress in the play, making it even more authentic, and piquing my curiosity. Continue reading “Returning to High School….With a Cane”
