[blparent] How do you start to explain people's unfoundedfears toyour children?

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

The boy is a neighborhood friend my daughter often plays with, and he is 
well-behaved and obedient, or I wouldn't have agreed to take him in the 
first place.  There are children in the neighborhood I would never agree to 
take anywhere, believe me, because they are undisciplined monsters.

Good point about the mother and the children with disabilities she sees in 
her job.  I had wondered why her interactions with me always seemed to be a 
bit--what's the word I'm looking for--condescending.  Not enough to really 
be offensive, but just enough for me to notice.

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Star Gazer via blparent
Sent: Sunday, March 15, 2015 8:11 AM
To: 'Judy Jones' ; 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] How do you start to explain people's unfoundedfears 
toyour children?

That was my take too. He may not be as manageable as you'd think.
Does the dad know you? If not and your kids are friends, I'd start there.
Also, it's not as odd as you think given the mom's job. Very likely, she's 
never encountered an adult with whatever disability she works with, so all 
she sees, all she's capable of seeing are children who need more then the 
average bear.

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Judy Jones 
via blparent
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2015 10:27 PM
To: Jo Elizabeth Pinto; Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] How do you start to explain people's unfounded fears 
toyour children?

Hi again from Judy.

Another aspect I thought about.  Is this little boy manageable in a public 
situation.  For instance, if you and your girl are at the park, will he be 
as obedient as she is, or is he one of those kids who is harder to manage 
because of lack of discipline?

Judy


-----Original Message-----
From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto via blparent
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2015 6:14 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: [blparent] How do you start to explain people's unfounded fears 
toyour children?

My sighted daughter just turned seven years old a few weeks ago.  Hard to 
believe.  Anyway, we’re having one of the first really beautiful sunny 
spring days, so she asked me to take her to a nearby park.  She invited a 
neighbor boy her age to come.  His parents said no, there had to be an adult 
along.  She told his parents her mom would be taking them.  The dad said no, 
he meant an adult who could see.  She came home really confused, of course.
She said we go to the park all the time, which we do.  So I tried to explain 
that some parents don’t feel that their kids will be safe supervised by a 
blind adult.  Her next natural question was why.  I told her some parents 
worry that their kids will get hurt if no one is watching them.  Her answer 
was that we’ve been to the park millions of times and she hasn’t gotten 
hurt.  Also true.  She’s a smart girl.  I told her some parents haven’t ben 
around blind people much.  The odd thing is, the neighbor boy’s mom is one 
of the higher-ups in the special ed department with the local school 
district.  So I’m just wondering, is there anything in particular you have 
said to your kids that has helped make sense of nonsense?

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
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