[blparent] Taking advantage of parenting classes

[Veronica Smith]

I think the reason is because even though you can't prepare one hundred
percent, you can still learn something and it just might be the something
you never thought of.

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 10:49 AM
To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] Taking advantage of parenting classes

I'm going to rain on this parade, but if you can't really prepare for being
aparent, what's the point of the classes?
I'm serious with this question.
If you can't train for it, why train at all?


-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 3:32 PM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] Taking advantage of parenting classes

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>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
        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


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