[blparent] activities that can be done with children

[DIANNA ALLEY]

Oh I agree that you should be the center of their world.  We do all of the 
above mentioned as well.  I just don't want her thinking that we are the 
only people that can be around her.  She usually goes to the store with me 
as well. She learns all kinds of things their.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at pcdesk.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:52 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] activities that can be done with children


> Honestly, I think that learning toys and videos and preschool can be 
> praised up to the skies, but the most important thing that you can do for 
> your little girl is to involve her in your lives.  Talk to her about 
> everything you're doing--even if it's just a monologue about what you are 
> putting in the dishwasher or what you are picking out at the grocery 
> store.  Talk to her about how you put arms into sleeves so you can wear a 
> jacket, and how you take peas out of the freezer and pour them in a bowl 
> to heat up in the microwave.  Talk to her about the cold or sunny weather 
> outside, the siren you hear going by in the street, the buzzing noise the 
> dryer makes when it's done with the clothes ... and so on, and so on.
>
> Read books with your child.  Again and again, it's been proven that 
> reading in the early years is vital.  Tell nursery rhymes to your child. 
> Sarah got the "Wee Sing Mother Goose" CD as a gift, and it's been 
> wonderful.  I really think singing along with the rhymes was what sparked 
> her interest in learning to talk.  Sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or "You are My 
> Sunshine" or "The Ants Go Marching One by One" or whatever you remember 
> from your own childhood.
>
> Don't underestimate the small, seemingly meaningless, moments.  I was 
> getting Sarah up from her nap one day.  There's a bunk bed in her room, 
> though she still sleeps in her crib for now.  She asked me to sit down on 
> the lower bunk, and then she started playing with some stuffed animals.
>>From that spontaneous incident, there developed a daily ritual, and now
> waking up from naptime is something we both look forward to because we 
> spend fifteen or twenty minutes on that bunk bed with no phone, no 
> computer, no distractions.  Before she goes to bed at night, we sit or 
> sprawl on some chair cushions that we put on the floor, and just sort of 
> slow down together.  Don't underestimate your roles as Mommy and Daddy. 
> You are still the center of your toddler's world, and at least in my 
> opinion, that's okay--even preferred--for a long while yet.
>
> There's nothing wrong with exposing your child to other kids.  Sarah is 
> drawn to children in the stores and at church, and I deliberately set up 
> outings for her.  Recently a good friend of mine took her to McDonalds to 
> play--I couldn't go because I've had the dratted flu--and last summer, she 
> went to the park and the pool often.  But the quiet time you enjoy 
> together, in my way of thinking, is absolutely essential.  The other day, 
> Sarah and I were out on our patio.  I would pick up rocks from the flower 
> beds, and she would gleefully toss them back out over the rail of the 
> patio again.  She started saying, "Hi, rock," as she picked up each one, 
> and "Bye bye, rock," as she tossed it over the rail.  Then we started 
> counting each rock as she let it go.  It was something I'll always 
> remember and treasure, and in my mind, it was one tiny building block in 
> her education and personality that will last a lifetime.
>
> Sorry for the long post, but this is a real soapbox topic of mine.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "DIANNA ALLEY" <dianna24 at earthlink.net>
> Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:29 PM
> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [blparent] activities that can be done with children
>
>> My little one is 14 months old now and I was wondering what activities I 
>> can do to promote learning.  I already to her and we watch some shows on 
>> sprout together as well as letting her play with different learning toys. 
>> What else can I do.  She is stuck with me and her daddy only for now.  I 
>> am looking into a day care program because I feel she needs a challenge. 
>> I feel this school/ day care can provide this.  She can go to it through 
>> pre Kay.
>> I also have a question about that.  Is their any programs that provide 
>> grants for programs like this.  I feel she need to be around others not 
>> us me and her daddy.  We don't know anyone with children.
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