[Ohio-talk] Working with Families

[COLLEEN ROTH]

Hello,
I just wanted to comment on working with families whether the children are blind or have some other disability.
I think it is important for us to be welcoming and have a sincere interest in the child and family.
We can always find something positive to say about a child when we meet them.
I recall a teacher who had a child in her class who had no Personal care skills. The little girl was profoundly deaf, legally blind, had Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and a seizure disorder.
The teacher said that she always came to school very neat and clean. It was obvious that she was a loved and valued member of her family.
She never met any goals in that year but the teacher found something nice to say.
A little girl I encountered had not one positive thing said about her. She was in Foster Care and I was the Surrogate Parent for her IEP.
I stated that no one had said anything positive about her. I said that she was very friendly and outgoing. That was true and would have been something nice to say.
Last year at the Convention I met three adorable children. I told their parents who pleased I was to meet them and how adorable they were.
I answered by giving information on where to get materials and encouraged them to seek out other parents of blind children.
One little girl was not blind but had significant medical issues. I talked to her and gave her a hug with her father's permission.
The point is that we can be loving and supportive without watering things down.
Let's reach out to families with love and concern but let's not water down our philosophy and writing to do it.
For those of you who do not know this: I am the mother of three girs who were Multi-handicapped.
All of them are with God. Two of my daughters were legally blind; all of them were Mentally Retarded, 2 had Cerebral Palsy, three had seizures, two had significant medical Issues, and one had Down Syndrome. Two of them were adopted.
Colleen Roth