[blparent] toddler in crowds

Mon May 10 05:56:02 UTC 2010

I use the O'Pair Child Harness from www.travelingwithkids.com when I go out 
with Gabbie. If my mom or siblings are around, they will help keep an eye on 
her for me, but for the most part, I am more comfortable just staying with 
her and having her attached to me. In a place like a park, she has to answer 
me every time I call out to her, otherwise we stop playing and she has to 
stay with me, which she absolutely hates! It's not too early to teach him to 
come to you when called, or to answer you when he's off playing somewhere 
else. It takes a lot of time and consistent effort, but I think it pays off 
in the long run.

-- Allie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at pcdesk.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] toddler in crowds

>I am paying attention.  There is no such thing as hyperactivity disorder in 
>toddlers, it is very rare in preschool age children, and just because a 
>toddler wanders doesn't mean he might possibly have ADHD.  Even putting 
>that out as a possibility at his age is absurd.
>
> Jo Elizabeth
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Joy Wolf" <joy at kevinlwolf.net>
> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 7:50 PM
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] toddler in crowds
>
>> I must respectfully agree that even with that if, it is very easy to 
>> worry
>> parents unnecessarily with those kinds of possibilities.  Of course, it's
>> possible, but so are a lot of things.  I guess maybe I have heard too 
>> many
>> people, both acquaintances and professionals, go on about what could 
>> happen,
>> how a child might develop, and what if this doesn't get better.  In fact, 
>> my
>> parents were told that developmentally I wouldn't pass the age of about 
>> five
>> years.  Lol, I'd like to think I did, though.  I guess what I'm saying is
>> that I can see why some would be sensitive to even the thought that there
>> may be a problem, when what is being faced right now is normal toddler
>> behavior.  In fact, at four years old, my son will get distracted by
>> something and wander, and there are no signs whatsoever of ADHD, unless 
>> the
>> only criteria is occasionally wandering away.  No offense intended here, 
>> but
>> I can see why this might not have been taken in the best way.  In other
>> words, why get ahead of ourselves?  Have a good week everyone.
>>
>> Joy and family
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Elizabeth Cooks
>> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 8:24 PM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] toddler in crowds
>>
>> I said if he doesn't outgrow that.  Pay attention.  The operative word
>> hereis "if".
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at pcdesk.net>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 7:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] toddler in crowds
>>
>>
>>> Hey, back up the bus.  Shannon's son is very young, and wandering is
>>> something that all toddlers do.  There is absolutely no reason in the
>>> world to start thinking that he might have ADHD because he wanders at 
>>> the
>>> age of two, or somewhere around that age.  I have a pretty good deal of
>>> knowledge about ADHD because of my stepson, and it positively does not
>>> exist in toddlers, and very rarely in preschoolers.  I'm not meaning to 
>>> be
>>
>>> rude or anything, but it's way too early to start ringing alarm bells
>>> about a problem that isn't there.
>>>
>>> Having said that, keeping track of a toddler in a crowd is difficult.
>>> It's a strain for me even in a small church on Sundays.  The child leash
>>> does help, and having people you trust keep their eyes open helps also.
>>> There are child locators that sound an alarm when you push a button. 
>>> The
>>> child wears a beeper that goes off.  Teaching a child to answer when
>>> called is good as he gets older.  But to be perfectly honest, I've found
>>> that without sighted help, it's very difficult to keep tabs on Sarah in 
>>> a
>>> crowd.  Because of that, I plan where I go if I am on my own to avoid
>>> noisy, busy situations, or I go when someone who can see is available. 
>>> I
>>> seek out opportunities to go places with sighted people when I can 
>>> because
>>
>>> I don't want to take away experiences that would be valuable for Sarah 
>>> to
>>> have, like playing on busy playgrounds.  It will probably put some super
>>> turbo independent blind people off, but for the sake of my child's 
>>> safety,
>>
>>> I've personally decided that there are some places I'd rather not go
>>> unless I have a sighted companion.  That may change as Sarah gets older
>>> and more verbal, but for now, I make sure we get out often and have a 
>>> lot
>>> of friends, and that I do things with her at home every single day 
>>> instead
>>
>>> of just being in the same room.
>>> F
>>> or what it's worth,
>>> Jo Elizabeth
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>> From: "Elizabeth Cooks" <elizabethcooks at comcast.net>
>>> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 6:47 PM
>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] toddler in crowds
>>>
>>>> Keep a child leash on him.  If he doesn't outgrow that, ADHD might be a
>>>> possibility.
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Shannan Zinck" <shannanzinck at gmail.com>
>>>> To: <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 2:15 PM
>>>> Subject: [blparent] toddler in crowds
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Sooo went to Moncton this weekend for a missions trip. a 1 nighter.
>>>>> Anyway
>>>>> how do you guys cope with being in large crowds with a toddler who 
>>>>> loves
>>
>>>>> to
>>>>> wander. He's a good kid but, can't keep still to save his life. We 
>>>>> were
>>>>> at
>>>>> an overnight shelter, (the one we used to work at) and I found it 
>>>>> really
>>>>> nerve racking. I used the harness when I could but, I'm one of the
>>>>> singers
>>>>> so had to be up front and get some friends to watch him. Most of my
>>>>> friends
>>>>> are sighted so it's easier for them to chase him around the center. 
>>>>> well
>>
>>>>> I
>>>>> am claustrophobic as well so crowds freak me out anyway and with a
>>>>> toddler
>>>>> running around it's 10 times worse. I was sort of fine until I had to
>>>>> rely
>>>>> totally on my friends that's hard. His birth mom was there too and had
>>>>> him
>>>>> much of the time so I was a little wary and was constantly straining 
>>>>> to
>>>>> know
>>>>> where he was and half the time I didn't know exactly. I trust my 
>>>>> friends
>>>>> but, I'm not always going to have the option of having them around 
>>>>> every
>>>>> time I take a trip. We did well on this trip but, quite leary about
>>>>> taking
>>>>> another one.
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Shannan Zinck
>>>>> Survival is letting GOD take over!!!
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