[blindkid] Stages of cane use?

Mon Apr 11 22:48:11 UTC 2011

I'll give another thumbs up to the NFB cane.  Hank (10) likes it because
it's lighter than aluminum folding canes and his arm doesn't get as tired
using it.
I think it's perfectly fine to let kids develop their own cane style as long
as that style actually works and keeps them safe.  For instance, hovering
over the ground is a style but not an effective one LOL!  Hank holds his
cane to his side to avoid the dreaded stomach jabs plus his arm doesn't tire
as quickly in that position.   It works for him, he can maintain his path,
so why not?  He can continue to refine his style as he gets older.

Convention.  You will LOVE it!!!  Trust me, it is well worth it for both you
and Abby.  We went for the first time last year.  Hank's attitude towards
his cane improved drastically after spending a week with a few thousand
other cane users.  He got a late start with a cane (he got his at 8 1/2 so
it wasn't a totally comfortable thing for him yet).  Last spring, it was
still a situation where he was only using a cane because I insisted on it.
 After convention, I didn't have to tell him to use it, he was choosing to
use it.
He had a blast in the kids camp and is looking forward to seeing those
friends again this year.
You'll get to see tons of blind kids and adults who are making it work and
you'll exhale a little.  You'll be surrounded by other parents who can
understand the alphabet soup we speak in without needing a translator. It's
a crazy busy week but it will recharge your batteries.

Holly
NJ

On Mon, Apr 11, 2011 at 4:48 PM, Penny Duffy <pennyduffy at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thank you everyone. I spoke with my daughter and we are going to try a few
> of the idea.  Amy recommend my daughter using a NFB cane. She currently
> uses
> the fordable cane with a marshmallow roller  tip
> http://www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AMBC-4  I think thats
> a
> link to the type of cane she is using now.
>
>
> Its what I have seen most of the Blind children I have seen use. We live in
> New Hampshire.
>
> Abby has been getting O&M since January.  (she has only had an IEP since
> December. She had 20/20 vision a year ago)
>
> Abby is willing to get the NFB cane a try and one of her friends uses one.
>  (Her friend hated using a cane till she got the NFB cane )
>
>
> So THANK YOU. You have no idea how much this information means to me. This
> is still new to us.
>
> Abby and I are going to the national conference .  We bought our airline
> tickets today and we are so excited.  I think its going to be great for
> both
> of us.  I had to really work hard at getting my husband to see some value
> in
> the trip. (thats a whole other conversation)
>  <http://www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AMBC-4>--
> --Penny
> ----------
> Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
>
> On Mon, Apr 11, 2011 at 3:49 PM, Brandy W <branlw at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> > I should clarify not way down to the side just slightly off where it is
> > comfortable. I too stop lift and keep going, but this takes practice for
> a
> > young child. Bran
> >
> >
> > "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most
> > accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers."
> > ~Charles W. Eliot,
> >
> > Brandy Wojcik  Discovery Toys Educational Consultant and Team leader
> > (512) 689-5045
> > www.playtoachieve.com
> > Follow me on Face Book at
> > http://www.facebook.com/PlayToAchieve.DiscoveryToys
> >
> > Do you want to: *earn extra income?
> > *get toys for free?
> > *get sale updates on our award winning products that have never been
> > recalled?
> > Just ask!
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> > Behalf Of Brandy W
> > Sent: Monday, April 11, 2011 2:42 PM
> > To: 'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)'
> > Subject: Re: [blindkid] Stages of cane use?
> >
> > Yes use a slightly larger cane, and let her do it in the way that works
> for
> > her. I know hardly any blind independent adult who holds their cane mid
> > body
> > for that reason, and we travel all over the world with no problems.
> >
> > Bran
> >
> >
> > "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most
> > accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers."
> > ~Charles W. Eliot,
> >
> > Brandy Wojcik  Discovery Toys Educational Consultant and Team leader
> > (512) 689-5045
> > www.playtoachieve.com
> > Follow me on Face Book at
> > http://www.facebook.com/PlayToAchieve.DiscoveryToys
> >
> > Do you want to: *earn extra income?
> > *get toys for free?
> > *get sale updates on our award winning products that have never been
> > recalled?
> > Just ask!
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> > Behalf Of Penny Duffy
> > Sent: Monday, April 11, 2011 2:06 PM
> > To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> > Subject: Re: [blindkid] Stages of cane use?
> >
> > I would say just keep at it and alway remind them the proper away. Thats
> > why
> > I do with my daughter. She is a bit older.
> >
> > I do have a questions myself...
> >
> > My daughter is just learning how to do to the cane (she is 7)  and she is
> > doing really well with it. Is good about using it but one of the issues
> she
> > has is her O&M want her to hold the cane in the middle (near her belly
> > button) and not to the side.  She is really scared about doing this
> because
> > she has poked her belly a few times.   Does anyone have any tips?
> >
> > --
> > --Penny
> > ----------
> > Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Apr 11, 2011 at 3:00 PM, Samantha Parker
> > <sparkaspirit at yahoo.com>wrote:
> >
> > > I agree with "tough love" in a safe way!  My 6 year old doesn't use a
> > > sweeping motion in front and wow...she misses things...all I have to
> > > say
> > is
> > > "Bev, that's why I tell you..." and she finishes with "sweep your
> cane."
> > >
> > >
> > > --- On Mon, 4/11/11, Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > From: Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org>
> > > Subject: Re: [blindkid] Stages of cane use?
> > > To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)" <
> > > blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> > > Date: Monday, April 11, 2011, 11:08 AM
> > >
> > > Merry-Noel and Brandy both make good points. Our daughter spent a good
> > deal
> > > of time dragging the cane behind her for a while. No matter what, I'd
> > remind
> > > him that you're glad he has his cane with him because if he starts
> > > leaving it or throwing it down then you have another battle to fight.
> > >
> > > When Kendra would fail to use her cane properly, apart from reminding
> > > her over and over, I'd sometimes  let her walk into things, trip, and
> > sometimes
> > > even enhance the opportunity for her to have a minor crash. (That may
> > > overstate, but I would not always give her any verbal warning of
> > > something in her way for example.) Mind you, I was always poised and
> > > ready to grab
> > her
> > > when she was very little before a major crash or fall. It sounds a
> > > little mean, but far better to have a few trips and falls when we're
> > > there to
> > help
> > > than for her than to figure someone will always be around to guide her.
> > > Someday, we won't be there, and we know that.
> > >
> > > Ultimately, we could often make this into a funny discussion and avoid
> > > any crashes up front-- "Your cane is telling you what's behind you--
> > > you
> > already
> > > know where you've been. Don't you want to know what's in front of
> > you?"...
> > > That sort of thing. Kendra uses her cane very well now, but at times
> > > she still "floats" her cane in the air and stops clearing her path
> > properly.
> > > Then I may remind her that her cane is just telling her what's in the
> > > air
> > in
> > > front of her-- not on the ground, but after that, I will let her trip
> > > herself on a curb or stair if it is in a fairly safe place (no cars
> > nearby,
> > > nothing major to fall over if she stumbles). It is all sort of a
> > calculated
> > > risk in "tough love" trying to let her learn from small mistakes to
> > > avoid huge ones later on.
> > >
> > > Richard
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Apr 10, 2011, at 8:47 PM, Merry-Noel Chamberlain wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Marie,
> > > > Has Jack ever had O&M without using his eyes; aka using sleepshades?
> > > Perhaps I would try that.  If wearing shades is difficult for him -
> > > locate
> > a
> > > dark room (a room that has no windows) and shut off the lights.
> > > Sometimes
> > I
> > > use a school gym.  I will play games in the gym such as Red-light,
> > > Green-Light with no light on.  We practice running in there, too.
> > > This builds some confidance in the cane.  Also, tell Jack he needs to
> > > hold his head up when he walks because that is the proper posture.  By
> > > wearing sleep-shades he learns the cane lets him know things such as
> > > curbs and stairs.  Prase him (or the cane - smile) when you notice
> > > that his cane
> > found
> > > something that his feet didn't find.  Walking faster helps quite a bit.
> > > > Merry-Noel
> > > >
> > > > --- On Sun, 4/10/11, Marie <empwrn at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > From: Marie <empwrn at bellsouth.net>
> > > > Subject: [blindkid] Stages of cane use?
> > > > To: "Blindkid email" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> > > > Date: Sunday, April 10, 2011, 11:19 PM
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I am getting very frustrated with Jack who is slowing down and using
> > > > his
> > > feet rather than maintaining his rhythm and using his cane to find
> > > curbs/obstacles. Yet he insists on carrying his cane. Is this just a
> > phase?
> > > Tips anyone?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Marie (mother of Jack, born May 2005) Check out our blog at
> > > > http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com for
> > > glimpses into our busy life with a boy who is busy growing and
> > > developing
> > in
> > > his own way in his own time
> > > >
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> --
> --Penny
> ----------
> Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
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