[blparent] toddler in crowds

Mon May 10 08:02:21 UTC 2010

In that particular case, though, she was in the choir or whatever it was, 
but in any case, she was a participant.  In that kind of situation, it is 
difficult ot keep an eye on the child oneself.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allie" <alliemartins at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 11:56 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] toddler in crowds


>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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