[blparent] blparent Digest, Vol 93, Issue 29

Thu Feb 23 18:54:16 UTC 2012

On 2/23/12, blparent-request at nfbnet.org <blparent-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Re: Child Protective Services & blind parenting (Kate McEachern)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:06:55 -0500
> From: "Kate McEachern" <kflsouth at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
> Message-ID: <0A1D95BC4C8145B687B922D59D13C211 at katiepc>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> 	reply-type=original
>
> Wow, the parents must like you, I won't even let any one borrow my cellphone
> forget about my baby.
> Kate
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 11:52 AM
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>
>
>>        Yes, that's exactly what I did.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Kate McEachern
>> Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 11:47 AM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>>
>> Ok, wait, I have to ask, how do you ask some one if you can borrow their
>> baby?  Do you say, "hey Jim, can I borrow your baby for a wile?"  This
>> just
>> looks funny in writing so now I would love to know how you borrow a baby.
>> Kate
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 8:55 AM
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>>
>>
>>>I borrowed a real baby.
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Tammy
>>> Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 8:50 AM
>>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I never did either, though I did have someone come and teach me the
>>> basics
>>> like changing diapers before I had my first baby.  Looking back it was a
>>> really silly thing to do because changing diapers on a doll is not like
>>> the
>>> real thing at all.  At the time though it made me feel more prepared, so
>>> I
>>> guess it helped a little.
>>>
>>> Tammy
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
>>> Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 8:27 AM
>>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>>>
>>> I never took a parenting class either.
>>> I'm glad they are offered for people that want them, but don't think they
>>> should be required. We already have far too much of the experts no best
>>> mentality, we don't need any more of it.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Kate McEachern
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:34 PM
>>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>>>
>>> Um, first I don't think parenting classes should mandatory because I hate
>>> the idea of people being forsed in to one way of doing things.  I think
>>> its
>>> fine for parenting classes to be offered for those who want them but for
>>> myself I never took one.  And I have two kids that are doing fine.  And
>>> in
>>> my situation my being Blind wasn't the main ishue of the clame made
>>> against
>>> my family.
>>>
>>> But, even though I don't like it there are still people who think Blind
>>> people shouldn't parent.  Not saying its right but its just something to
>>> be
>>> ready to deel with.
>>>
>>> Kate
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
>>> To: <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 4:13 PM
>>> Subject: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
>>>
>>>
>>>>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
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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> End of blparent Digest, Vol 93, Issue 29
> ****************************************
>
Personally, I thought it was great to take parenting classes. I never
felt like I had to or like I was going to need to prove anything. I
just took them because beyond dressing up dolls and sometimes watching
a much younger cousin for a while, I really had no experience taking
care of babies. I didn't get babysitting jobs the way lots of other
kids did; maybe that was because I was blind, or because I didn't
really seek them out too much. So I was brand new to all of it and
found the classes to be great. I think the parenting classes are there
for people who feel like they need them. If the blindness thing came
up at all, it was because instructors were trying to find the best way
to explain something to me that other new parents were able to see.
They also seemed very happy that I was eager to learn.

Another thought: Parenting classes are a great way to meet other
parents. Sometimes, if there's a series of classes for new moms, new
dads or new families, it can be a place to network, make friends and
share parenting ideas. I bonded really well with some other new moms
when we and our babies took a class together. We started a play-group
that might pick up again this summer and we run into each other now
and then. We got together for our babies' first birthday party. They
asked lots of questions about how I did things as a blind mom, but
they just seemed honestly curious and we enjoyed each other's company.

Jen