[blparent] Taking advantage of parenting classes

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Jo Elizabeth,

I agree with you. I didn't mean to suggest it was wrong for Hadley to
offer parenting classes or for anyone to take advantage of such a class.
Like you, even though I have child-care experience, and I have been a
second mommy to Penny for more than a year (complicated story with
Penny) my husband and I are reading a ton of material and looking into
various classes and groups we can participate in. As prepared as you
think you are, once baby arrives, so much changes and a lot ends up
involving common sense and quick problem solving skills, grin,
regardless of a disability or not. My comments were directed solely at
societal ideas still buying into the notion that blindness is an
automatic risk factor when parenting, and that anyone would insist we
"prove" our ability to parent based only on disability. Hadley's course
sounds interesting and definitely something to check out.

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: 8
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:57:37 -0700
From: "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at msn.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] Child Protective Services & blind parenting
Message-ID: <SNT116-DS336E8EBA4E5A59E48CB80AC640 at phx.gbl>
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	reply-type=original

Congratulations on your pregnancy, Bridgit.  I agree that we shouldn't
have 
to prove our ability as parents just because of our blindness.  But I
also 
believe that, at least for me, I couldn't be too prepared.  The thing I 
liked about the Hadley courses is that there were tips included from
other 
blind parents, some of which I borrowed for my own box of tricks.

I have a file tucked away in a drawer that includes my certificates from

Hadley, the documentation from the baby care class I took at the
hospital 
before Sarah was born, the report from Social Services that says nothing
was 
found to be amiss at my house, the letter from the home nurse stating
that I 
finished the visitation program, the notes from our pediatrician from
each 
yearly visit at which everything was said to be fine, and the results
from 
the voluntary test at the health department that told me my daughter was

developing within normal emotional and social limits.  If and when I
ever 
have trouble again, from my own family or elsewhere, I'll be well armed.

Even Sarah's dad thinks I'm at least a little paranoid.  Once burned,
twice 
shy.

One final thing--I fear the day when every parent has to take classes or
get 
certified.  I've heard people suggest that, usually in the context of
teen 
pregnancies.  But I know full well that blind parents would have a devil
of 
a time passing any class or certification that could be proposed, not 
because of lack of ability, but because it would take proving ourselves
to a 
whole new level.  Scary thought.

Jo Elizabeth