[blindkid] Dealing with selfish behavior

[Richard Holloway via blindkid]

I understand from some people who work at Georgia Academy of the Blind, our state school here, that a similar hierarchy has existed and continues to exist there still today. Rather concerning, but I have no idea how one addresses such a concern within an entire school.

We only visit the school from time to time for particular events, so I cannot speak to the situation directly. 


On Jun 2, 2014, at 2:20 PM, Barbara HAMMEL via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> I attended a residential school where there still existed -- to some extent -- a hierarchy. So, although I had a little light perception I knew I was inferior to kids with more vision and definitely more inferior to my siblings and their friends. I also had a habit of keeping kids in line when they were being naughty, thus I mostly got along with younger children whom I could protect and older children who tolerated me but my age-mates were another story. Most of my friends were boys because I loved sports. At school I was fairly mature for my age but at home I had a tough time. I made no friends in my home community. I now know that I was a shy child unless I knew you, and also very timid. It's funny, when look back on things. When I first started taking a few classes at the public school of the town where the residential school was, I had a superiority complex but by the time a graduated six years later I was back to an inferiority complex. I didn't make friends in the public school there either. College was a real eye-opener for me. That is when I got my crash course in social skills.  All this long story to say my two-cents worth. Sure the childhood years can be tough socially, but I'd rather see your kids learning life skills well while young. Mind you I went to co2lege in the late '80's, but My blind friends there who attended public school may have learned social skills but they were sorely lacking in life skills -- poor Braille readers, poor cane travellers, didn't have cooking or sewing skills, poor table manners ... you name it. Of course not all did but it's sure more embarrassing to need assistance doing something most kids no how to do when they are 10 than it is to be taken aside to explain why what you just said or did was not "normal". Navigating childhood is difficult for lots of kids, although there's no doubt, no matter what the difference be, kids who don't fit the "norm" of their peer group have it tougher. And the sighted peers do grow up and learn to be more accepting of differences. Any child who doesn't fit the "norm" is a bit more experienced with the complexities of life than their run-of-the-mill peers. Disability, disease, illness, death, divorce ... all age a child and sometimes they just have to float till their peers swim up to them. In the meantioe, all a parent can do is raise each of their children to the best of their ability based on the strengths and wekakesses of botf parties.
> Barbara Hammel