[blindkid] walking home from school.

[Arielle Silverman]

I totally agree with Barbara. What kind of street will she need to
cross to get home?
The best way for her to improve her street-crossing skills is through
practice and the best way to get practice is to do the crossing every
day!
Speaking from the other side of the coin, because I am blind, I wasn't
allowed to walk to or from the bus stop alone until I was 13--and the
street crossings I needed to do for this route were merely residential
crossings. I have always had trouble with street crossings and I
believe if I had been expected to learn and use those skills earlier,
I would have been a much better and safer traveler.
Arielle

On 5/15/12, Barbara Hammel <poetlori8 at msn.com> wrote:
> If Abby's cane skills are good, practice street crossings over the summer,
> even if it's just the streets on the school route.  If, when school starts,
>
> you feel comfortable that she could do it alone if need be, then let them
> walk.  If you had this plan when she could see, there is no reason why you
> can't do it even though she is now blind.
> The one thing in considering, here, is that you don't want her to depend
> upon older sibling in case she has to go alone some time.
> The time will be right when she can do it safely.  I have confidence that
> you'll know when that is.
> Barbara
>
>
>
>
> Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. -- Carl Sandburg
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Penny Duffy
> Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:30 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: [blindkid] walking home from school.
>
> Hello everyone.
>
> I am considering have my kids walk home from school next year without
> me.Did I really just say that.  We are walking distance from the school.
> They have walked the route often.  My kids who will be in 3rd grade and 5th
> grade next year and would be walking home TOGETHER.  One of my kids are
> blind and the other one is sighted.   I am really looking for some input.
> I can't see why my daughter's blindness is that much of an  issue.  Should
> i wait till Abby's O&M street crossing skills are better?  When Abby was in
> kindergarten (and sighted) I always thought that I would let the kids walk
> home when they were win 5th and 3rd grade.
>
> I think it would be great for both my kids than again the kids may reject
> the idea and the rules that come with it.
>
> --Penny
> ----------
> My Blog - visionfora.blogspot.com
>
> NH Parents of Blind Children http://www.nhpobc.org/
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