[blindkid] Belated Welcome

[Debby B]

I'd like to add to this. Winona attended BLIND, Inc. this past summer. It was HARD for us, as her family, to send our "baby girl" off for 3-4 weeks. None of our kids go anywhere unless it's with family or church, including our 18yo son. With Carrie's encouragement (nagging? grin) we decided to let Winona go this past summer. TERRIFIC! Best thing we could have done for her!

She came home learning more in that time than in the past 2 years at school. She came home with knowledge from a multitude of other blind people, not just "mom says". The 1st week home she successfully advocated with the mobility teacher that she would use her NFB cane, not the huge roller ball he prefers. She's advocating with classroom teachers for the Braille they need to insist the TVI provide. Winona is advocating for herself, not merely sliding along with what the TVI says is sufficient. This has made her stronger, and reduced some of our battles. (Imagine that, mom knows something!) No longer am I expecting too much, but she knows other blind kids are able to do those things and she wants to be sure she continues to learn it, too.

Thanks for bugging me, Carrie!

I would urge any parent to get their child into one of the programs. Get to your state and/or national convention. Empowering our kids with the skills they need, the desire to obtain those skills, and the courage to insist they get those skills is probably one of the most important things we can do to help them along the road of maturity and competence.

 Debby 
bwbddl at yahoo.com
www.nfbflorida.org/parents



----- Original Message ----
From: SUSAN POLANSKY <sepolansky at verizon.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 2:00:18 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Belated Welcome

>From the Mom of a Buddy Camp alumni I can not agree more. My son has been to BLIND Inc for the last two summers and we hope will be able to go for 2 more.

Susan