[blindkid] Understanding when they are *not* the ones being spoken to!

[dhammelia at aol.com]

Paul does that all the time as well.? When we tell Jesse no on something Paul cries too, or gets upset even if Jesse does not.? We do the same thing saying Paul you are all right we were talking to Jesse.



Dave Hammel


-----Original Message-----
From: Rene Harrell <rjharrell at gmail.com>
Sent: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 8:32 pm
Subject: [blindkid] Understanding when they are *not* the ones being spoken to!




I'm really, really curious to see if this is something that is unique to
Clare, or is a social issue that is tackled by other blind children.

Clare is 7. She does not comprehend when she is not part of a conversation,
or is not being spoken to, even when it is verbally clear. I can give some
examples:

Nora says "Mama, I want more cookie." I respond "No Nora, just one cookie.
You are all done." Then Clare who is sitting at the table eating her cookie
starts flipping out "ALL DONE COOKIE! ALL DONE!" I have to tell her "Clare,
I wasn't speaking to you. I was speaking to Nora. When I said "No, NORA" it
means I am talking to Nora. When I say Clare, it means I am talking to
Clare." There are a million and one other examples where I am in the middle
of a conversation with one of my other children, I very specifically use my
child's name, and she acts as if I am talking directly to her. I can say
"Elijah, do you want a banana?" and she responds from three rooms away with
a very upset "NO!" I say "Elijah, I'm going to count to three and you need
to putting your shoes on" and she is getting hysterical because her shoes
are already on.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled she's finally starting to talk
unprompted, which is a huge victory! Now I'm trying to figure out whether or
not this is simply a phase in early development related to the lack of
visual cues that she will naturally outgrow with some coaching and a
tincture of time, or whether there is anything else I can do to speed this
along. It always manages to catch me off-guard, especially when she gets
upset over something that wasn't directed at her in the first place, lol!

:-)
Rene
-- 
" I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up
where I needed to be."
-- Douglas Adam
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