[blparent] Fwd: Parenting Without Sight - Survey

Thu May 25 20:40:43 UTC 2017

			Excellent post!

-----Original Message-----
From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jesper
Holten via BlParent
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2017 2:29 AM
To: Blind Parents Mailing List <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jesper Holten <jesper.holten at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [blparent] Fwd: Parenting Without Sight - Survey

Dear Alomi Parikh and all. It has been a most interesting hmm. debate about
perception and self perception as blind parrents. I just want to enlighten
you all just a tiny bit here. India and indian blind very well know the
World Blind Union, as the general Secretary is from India and the presiden
of one of ,  if not the largest organisation for the blind in India. His
contact information is below. Take the time to talk to him Alomi Parikh I am
sure he can give you valuable information about the plight of Indian blind
parrents. Generally speaking, although their is certainly misconceptions,
prejudice and stigma connected to being blind and a blind parrent, this
holds true both in the so-called developed World as in developing contries.
Whether blind parrents want to use sighted help and in what ways will
always, and should always be an individual choice, keeping the universal
human rights in mind, disabled persons have of course the same rights as
anyone else to form a Family and to get children.
SOmetimes this Means that society/or Family has to stepp in an help in
certain ways. Remember, that the physical environment for one thing, may
cause many opsticles that makes it difficult or impossible to get around
independently as a blind person, let alone if you have to carry or supervise
a baby or small child. Insofar as circumstances and personal abilities
allow, we as blind parrents should be as independent as we possibly can, but
we should also have the individual rights to bring up our children the way
we see most fit. Blind parrents are as different as any other parrents,
circumstances or environment may influence how we go about bringing up our
children. I want to Refer you to the UN convention on the rights of persons
with disability sectio 23 but also section 10 and  19  are worth reading.
the link to the convention comes here:
https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of
-persons-with-disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabili
ties-2.html
Allow me also to direct your attention to Jonathan Mosens podcast The blind
side  especially sho  29 but many of his shows centres around current
advocacy topics  for the blind and partially sighted check it out e.g. here:
The Blind Side Podcast 29, parenting when you're blind

Both I and my wife are totally blind and proud parrents to our 2-year-old
son, we live in Denmark, but through Family and Work I have travelled and
lived in a couple of sub-saharan african countries and have some experiences
as to the conditions but also resilliance  and tenacity of blind and
partially sighted parrents in both developed and especially developing
contries.
here comes Mr. Mittals contacts.
best regards, Jesper.
SECRETARY GENERAL
Mr. Ajai Kumar Mittal
President, All India Confederation of the Blind Braille Bhawan, Sector-5,
Rohini Delhi 110 085, India
Or: 80-A Pocket One, Mayur Vihar Phase One Delhi 110 091, India
Phone: +91-11-2705-4082
Fax: +91-11-2705-0915
E-mail:
mittal24ak at gmail.com

On 5/22/17, Alomi Parikh via BlParent <blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Thank you Judy!
>
> I researched a little more on what you said and have sent you a 
> follow-up email personally.
>
> I am so glad I got a chance to get in touch with all of you. It really 
> did help me grow as a person and understand and realize so many 
> aspects and viewpoints.
>
> Thank you so much.
>
> Regards,
>
> Alomi Parikh
>
> On Mon, May 22, 2017 at 5:51 AM, Judy Jones via BlParent < 
> blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for writing us back, Alomi.  I have spent time living in other 
>> foreign countries, and, in general, have found those societies' views 
>> of blindness very custodial.  In any society, if a blind person is 
>> told he has limitations, and is not around other blind people to 
>> mentor him, he is going to believe that, and I think this is what is 
>> coming into play here.
>>
>> The World Blind Union would be a good organization for India's blind 
>> to know about, and every year at our NFB national convention, we 
>> always have foreign visitors, and learn from them as they learn from 
>> us.
>>
>> I'm glad you are coming away from this experience with some 
>> enlightened views, and personally, if I can be of further assistance, 
>> please feel free to write me.
>>
>> Judy Jones
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>> Alomi Parikh via BlParent
>> Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2017 5:42 PM
>> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Cc: Alomi Parikh
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Fwd: Parenting Without Sight - Survey
>>
>> Thank you so much for your support Judy, as usual.
>>
>> If it wasn't for you and many others who responded, I would still be 
>> stuck with the same assumptions.
>>
>> I think you bring an extremely valid point that I should've stressed 
>> upon earlier myself.
>>
>> I am from India which is still a developing nation. The National 
>> Federation of the Blind gives all of you an amazing support system 
>> and is an amazing organization.
>>
>> We have very few organizations in India and are not these widespread. 
>> I contacted all of you after speaking to some Blind Parents from 
>> India who claimed that while they could safely raise their infants 
>> they were often afraid and dependant on others. All of the parents I 
>> should to have successfully raised beautiful children, but have told 
>> me themselves that they had to face some difficulties.
>>
>> My questions are not purely based on assumptions. Sharon brought to 
>> my notice that because of the cultural difference I would get 
>> different answers. I see that now. My questions to all of you were 
>> crafted after the talks with parents from India.
>>
>> However, this email thread has been so eye opening and so educating 
>> that I can't thank all of you enough.
>>
>> I sincerely apologise for all the assumptions but I hope you 
>> understand my point of view.
>>
>> Thank you so much.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Alomi Parikh
>>
>>
>> On May 22, 2017 5:01 AM, "Judy Jones via BlParent" 
>> <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks, Dave, I may not have caught that.
>>
>> Also, I have had a chance to correspond with this young woman.  She 
>> is 19 years old, sighted, and never has been a parent.  She has 
>> chosen this as her project.
>>
>> I, too, commented to her she was making a lot of assumptions that 
>> simply aren't valid, and she received my comments very well.  We have 
>> written back and forth several times, and I have sent her links to 
>> check out, and she appears to have done some more research.
>>
>> The last e-mail conversation we had, I summed up the fact that blind 
>> parenting is really not that much different than parenting for 
>> sighted parents.
>>
>> Also, keep in mind that she is from a country that may have different 
>> views on blindness, parenting, and family relationships.
>>
>> On the whole, I found her accepting correction, and she has always 
>> written prompt responses.  I did not like the survey either, but, as 
>> always, we are out here to educate.
>>
>> Judy
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>> David Andrews via BlParent
>> Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2017 2:26 PM
>> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Cc: David Andrews
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Fwd: Parenting Without Sight - Survey
>>
>> It is a long URL, it probably wrapped around into two pieces.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 11:40 AM 5/15/2017, you wrote:
>> >This says the GoogleDrive page is not found.
>> >
>> >Judy
>> >
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>> >Alomi Parikh via BlParent
>> >Sent: Monday, May 15, 2017 8:18 AM
>> >To: blparent at nfbnet.org
>> >Cc: Alomi Parikh
>> >Subject: [blparent] Fwd: Parenting Without Sight - Survey
>> >
>> >Hello
>> >
>> >Respected Sir/Madam,
>> >
>> >This is a follow-up email to my previous email regarding Parenting 
>> >Without Sight.
>> >
>> >It would mean a lot to me if you could fill out this quick survey I 
>> >am conducting. It would hardly take 5 minutes. It would be of great 
>> >help to me.
>> >
>> >https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfefORofjYD44EXGuzvzORi
>> >u7AeNnPT_vDpIpCdThb2Btol0w/viewform?c=0&w=1
>> >
>> >Please do get back to me if you would like to help me further in 
>> >this project.
>> >
>> >Thank you so much for your time.
>> >
>> >Alomi Parikh
>>
>>
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