[blparent] Question about Walking with Children

[Michelle Creedy]

Hi List 

 

I'm currently doing some respite in prep for adoption and I'm interested to
know what techniques people use when walking with children who are 8 or
older. I'm trying to figure out the best strategies for maintaining control
of the situation because some of these kids have been quite programmed to
believe that blind people need to be guided around. There are times when I
do choose to use an elbow for example if my sister and I are walking but I'm
always using my cane if I choose to do so. This usually only happens if I'm
walking with my sister and I actually can't hear where she's going. I
jokingly told her today that I'm going to tie a cow bel around her neck! I
suppose this unpredictable guiding is confusing to the kids so perhaps it is
as simple as a conversation. It's different with your own children because
they are so used to canes that it doesn't cross their mind to tell you what
to do and when to do it. I also find that it is more difficult to
concentrate because of course we're chatting and so I probably make mistakes
I wouldn't make if I were on my own. Most of my travel is done alone by
virtue of me living on my own within walking or transit distance of
everything I need. I've been practicing Going out with other adults and just
doing my thing as I normally would while having a conversation as we go. I'm
sure this sounds really stupid but hey, somewhere somehow someone else must
have run into this and had the same questions.

 

I have very good cane travel skills but I guess this is simply taking things
the next step. 

 

My nephew has it down pat! I explained to him that I really don't want
comments when my cane hits something because that's how I find it and that
it's ok if I move a little slower through the environment than my sister or
mom do. He has taken to walking in front of me and chatting up a storm so
that I know where he is if he's wanting to show me where the toy section is
so that he can then persuade me to spend some money on the latest Lego.
Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. 

 

It's amazing how much programming our children get about blindness. I never
realized this before. 

 

These are not children I need to worry about in terms of holding hands but
I'm a little confused as to what ground rules would be helpful. Any
suggestions would be really great.

 

Michelle