[Blindtlk] Learning Daily Living Skills

Tue Jun 21 12:49:14 UTC 2011

Hi Humberto,

Like Gary, I too applaud your honesty, and think that it definitely places you on the right track. I think sometimes when trying to work with parents, things get a little tricky. Not only is there the parent/teen communication thing, but when the parent doesn't really have any firsthand experience, meaning that, they themselves, do not have to use the alternative techniques of blindness, they really don't know how to teach them. They of course want to help, but maybe they don't know how, or don't have a lot of confidence in the alternative techniques. They might tend to tell you that things aren't possible, when, in fact, they are very possible with the proper techniques or alternative routes in place. Many times the sighted will take shortcuts across rocks and gravelly areas, or parking lots, which don't work for me because there are not landmarks to let me know where I am. I like to stay next to curbs and structured areas if I can. Of course, this isn't an ideal world, and sometimes this isn't possible, but this is my preference. Sighted people though don't need to worry about things like that. Their landmark is that grocery store they see on the other side of this huge parking lot filled with cars and speed bumps or whatever you call those ledges which mark off the parking spaces.

Anyway, is there a local NFB chapter in your area? If so, even if you can't attend a training center, maybe some of those members could spend some time showing you the skills that they use. Do you know what I mean? 

I wish I lived close, and I would try to help. Not that I am a model housekeeper by any stretch of the imagination. Some of that is blindness related--I never did learn to use a broom properly--some of it is time related, and some of it is the fatigue that comes from work and school. However, I do know how to manage a home fairly well. For instance, when I wipe off a table, I first check to be sure that I have all of the cups, glasses and other items that need to go into the kitchen off of the table. Our table is often cluttered with odds and ends, such as cereal containers, loaves of bread and other things, so sometimes I just have to push those back to the far edge and clean the area where we eat. I wet my dishrag with warm water and a drop of dishwashing liquid, making sure to squeeze out the excess water from the rag, then gently go over the surface of the table, taking one small area at a time. If there are crumbs on the table, you'll want to be sure to pick those up with the rag, or place your hand under the edge of the table and brush the crumbs into your hand so that they don't get pushed off onto the floor. If there is stuck on food, which will feel sticky to the touch, you'll need to scrub with the rag a bit to loosen this. Depending on how many crumbs you pick up and how many stuck on spots you have to scrub, you will probably need to make a couple of trips back to the kitchen sink to rinse off the rag thoroughly for another go. When the table is clean, it should feel smooth to the touch and free of crumbs.

I don't know if this makes any sense or not, but I hope it has been at least a little help. If you would like to talk further, do feel free to email me off list. My home email, if you would like to use that is Princess.di2007 at gmail.com.

Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"It is service that measures success."
George Washington Carver

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-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Humberto Avila
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 4:18 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org; blindTlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Blindtlk] Learning Daily Living Skills

Hello fellow listers:

As you know I've been really wanting to learn Daily Living and life skills.
I am starting college in the fall and therefore I don't want to be living at
home forever -- most college students my age are living in their dorms
(including blind students). although my community college is not located far
from home, learning daily living skills would be a plus for me and if I
actually want to get a place of my own in the future I must be able to have
life and daily living skills.

the only glitch I'm facing, however, is my parents, especially my Mom. I
have talked to them into teaching me how to do daily living tasks, yet when
they are actually trying to teach me it gets sort of confusing and I can't
really understand what they are teaching, and I don't really know whether
the alternatives they teach me are the safest or most accessible. Like for
example, one day my Dad and I were going to our nearby grocery store called
"Fiesta foods" walking. I was using my cane and as we were walking my dad
walked me through a bunch of gravel and rocks. was there a sidewalk I
could've used? I don't know, but he said "this is the fastest way".

but anyways, just like my teacher of the blind pointed out in my IEP
post-secondary plan worksheet when I graduated, MY PARENTS STILL DO A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT FOR ME AND IF I'M TAUGHT THE SKILL I CAN SUCCEED.

and... here I am, a 20-year-old who doesn't even know how to fold his
clothes properly or wash them, go to the store and manage money and shopping
by himself, and not knowing how to perform basic cooking tasks.

I know how to wash dishes (I haven't learn to use a dishwasher), and I know
how to vacuum, mop and clean the table (still * requiring lots of sighted
assistance *)

Unfortunately I can not afford going to an NFB training center or an
orientation and training center at my home state [feel free to email me off
list if you want to know exactly why]. 
if I want to live productively and form a new family as well as get my own
place, how would I go about explaining my parents (or even friends) to
really teach me the skills I want to learn? Do I have to adapt to how they
teach me? Are there any teacher of the blind that, for an affordable cost,
can come to my house and teach me such skills. I really want your opinions.
I don't want to end up getting my AA degree and after that move away and I
have to ask people "Can you please do this for me?" plus, that would be
embarrassing.

thanks,
Humberto
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