[blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

I think parenting classes for any new parent should be provided and
mandatory whether disabled or not, adopting or biological pregnancy, but
no laws currently enforce such classes except for adopting parents. No
parent should require a certification just because they are blind. I'm
not admonishing Hadley for offering this, but making a comment on
society because we have to consider doing such a thing. New parents, and
even people with children already, can benefit from learning parenting
skills, and though much of it is common sense, parents who are blind
feel more comfortable learning certain alternative techniques and
methods for parenting, but classes like what Hadley offers should not be
taken simply because blind parents may require "proof" of their ability
to parent. It's abhorrent that anyone in 2012 still fear this issue.

I didn't plan on announcing this until next week, and I request anyone
who is Facebook friends with me not post anything just yet, or post
anywhere outside this list serve,  as we will tell my in-laws this
weekend, but my husband and I are expecting our first biological child.
We are eleven weeks along, and so far, none of our doctors have given us
a reason to suspect they doubt our ability to parent as a blind couple.
They have been supportive, encouraging and just pleased as punch about
our pregnancy. I know the med team working with us when I go into labor
may have some concerns outside the team we currently work with, but
nothing so far has given us a reason to be overly concerned with this
issue. That being said, we are aware, informed and armed should, God
forbid, something come up once the baby is here. It's sad to me,
especially since I wasn't always blind, that any parent with a visual
impairment need be concerned on any level about this. And trust me, when
mama bear's claws come out, well, it doesn't bode well for those
provoking me. That bear poking stick will quickly turn into kindling.

I will need to stop soon because this topic makes my blood pressure rise
through the roof, grin, though I have low BP so I guess it's not to bad,
LOL! It's just ridiculous and egregious that we need potentially "prove"
anything to anyone based solely on the purpose that we are blind. The
rant is done for now, smirky grin.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 5
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:40:54 -0600
From: "sharon howerton" <shrnhow at att.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services
Message-ID: <AD4C487FB83F4BB78F9BE5F2CBE5CA1D at sharonlaptop>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Heather, congratulations on your upcoming birth. I hope things are going

well. Many of us on this list are blind parents and have never had a
problem 
with child protective service. Many years ago when I was a rehab
counselor, 
I found that the only time I got calls about expectant moms was when the

medical people felt that the baby did not have adequate care or
inadequate 
support for the parent(s), thus not enough care for the baby. . Also, I
am 
an instructor with the Hadley School and teach a three course parenting 
series, the first course of which is Preparation. It is a lengthy course

with assignments and all but is at least affiliated with us, provides a 
certificate upon completion and is just one more resource available to
you. 
My own sons are 28 and almost 26 years, I am totally blind and their dad
who 
is my ex has some vision. If you have any questions about Hadley or
would 
want to contact me directly, you are welcome to do so at my home email
shrnhow at att.net or Hadley sharon at hadley.edu The other two courses in our
series, for those who are new here, are Infancy 
which covers the first year and Early Years which covers ages 1 to 5. We

don't pretend to be the be all and end all, but at least these courses
can 
get you started. As many of you know, there is no charge for our
courses. Sharon Howerton