[blindkid] feelings of blind children

[DrV]

I'll echo these sentiments. I think adults get more worried about this
than the kids do (we did too).
The kids & often their classmates at that age take it all in stride & tend
not to make a big deal of it.
We did as Carol & Sally suggested.
Blind kids see & explore in a way that is different than mom or dad.
The comments by others will come up - sometimes they are comments or
questions that other kids just pose too loudly to their parents, sometimes
it is more direct.  Even adults can say some pretty stupid things.
I remember though when my eldest was about 6; a kid came up to him at the
aquarium & may a blunt comment about his cane. That launched a more
focused discussion at home. A few weeks later we went to our NFB State
Convention. What timing! The familiar sound of tapping of canes - but
magnified many-fold for a whole weekend was quite exciting. But I will
never forget the expression of excitement on his face when we piled into a
packed elevator - he first accidentally felt 1 cane, then another -> then
he actively reached around & counted 8 or 10 canes of various sized - & 2
guide dogs! It was quite a moving experience for all in the elevator. Over
the next few day a few adults let him take their canes for a spin. &
Braille everywhere, including the braille menus!
For that experience alone, I would urge you to attend convention if you
can - though I'm sure you will get so much more from the experience as
well.
Best wishes, 
Eric 


On 3/4/13 1:45 PM, "Carol Castellano" <carol_castellano at verizon.net> wrote:

>Hi Alison,
>
>I think a gradual approach is a good idea, just the way you might
>deal with other complicated issues children might ask about--where do
>babies come from, etc..  Give enough info for the stage he's in.
>
>We found being matter-of-fact was helpful.  "Hey, Serena, do you know
>how Mommy reads the book?  I do it with my eyes.  Sighted people read
>with their eyes.  Blind people read with their fingers.  Remember Mr.
>Ruffalo?  He's blind and he reads with his fingers, just like you
>will some day."  That sort of thing.
>
>As time goes on and as various situations crop up, your son will get
>more and more information about how eyesight works and where it's the
>same and where it's different from seeing with the fingers.
>
>I also second Sally's advice to get to know lots of blind
>people.  This normalizes the situation for everyone in the family and
>also gives you a built-in group to get tips from on how blind people
>accomplish various tasks.
>
>Best wishes,
>Carol
>
>Carol Castellano
>President, Parents of Blind Children-NJ
>Director of Programs
>National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>973-377-0976
>carol_castellano at verizon.net
>www.blindchildren.org
>www.nfb.org/parents-and-teachers
>
>
>
>At 01:35 PM 3/4/2013, you wrote:
>>I wanted to say, Arielle, I appreciate your comments about how you
>>felt as a child regarding how your parents reacted to your
>>blindness.  It provides some good perspective for me as a sighted
>>parent of a blind four year old.
>>
>>Right now my son does not know that he is blind, but I can see the
>>wheels turning in his head.  He asks me about the paper I read
>>stories from and yesterday he asked what was the purpose of some
>>piano sheet music I was using.  The other day, a boy ran up to him
>>and grabbed his cane ignorantly, and asked several questions about
>>its purpose and about Nate's blindness.  I was very aware that Nate
>>was listening to what I said.  I try to answer in an honest and
>>non-judgmental way.  I often say to other kids that he can't see
>>with his eyes but that he uses his hearing, cane and touch
>>instead.  When asked why his eyes don't see, I say they formed
>>differently when he was a baby.  I don't know if these are the best
>>answers, so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
>>
>>And in the future when Nate asks me about it, I want to be honest,
>>yet not make him feel bad about it in any way.  Do I tell him that
>>most people see with their eyes, or do I let him figure this out on
>>his own?  I feel that telling him that fact might make him feel bad,
>>but should he know?  I would think the gradual approach might be
>>better.  As in some other topics with bringing up a child, maybe I
>>should match the complexity of the answer to the complexity of the
>>question?
>>
>>Thanks for any thoughts,
>>Alison
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