[blindkid] advice for ARI

[Rosina Solano]

I just have to chime in here although I don't really think I can help you on this.  Every time I read a post like this I just want to alternately cry and pray.  I feel soo strongly for every child who is slighted as I too have two visually impared boys that are in the public school system.  However, I pray and bless whoever is looking out for us that I must have an awesome school district.  
   
  My two boys are the only visually impared/blind kids in the school.  They are also the first that the school has ever had.  This is my first experience as a mother or person for that matter dealing with blindness.  The school sent off a teacher to begin training for VI services, when they learned about my son in preschool.  She finished her schooling and now we have a full time VI teacher in our school.  Yes she also teaches other children as two children are not a full load, but I keep praying that we will get another child in school.  However, even if we don't I am SOOOOO grateful.  My boys get braille instruction EVERY day.  The school has used grants to get loads of equipment for them.  It hasn't even cost them very much.  My sons are expected to participate in everything, even Physical Education.  Granted my sons still have a little vision, but they are still so open to everything.  At IEP meetings they always ask me if there is anything else that I want them to do. 
 Hey, I don't know, I am just as new at this as they are.  
   
  The point is that they took the time to do a little reasearch and find out that blind kids can do almost everything other kids do, they just might do it a little differently.  I recently met with one of my older sons new teachers in a new building this year.  She told me that she was a little worried when they were told that they would be having a blind kid in class this year.  They would get very nervous when they saw him playing on the playground, or even wandering around in the halls.  But they came to find out that he was a very good judge of what he could and couldn't do all by himself.  All kids get careless, that is the nature of children and by which they learn.  If we take that away from them, they will never learn to decide for themselves how to do things.
   
  Now I am not trying to brag, I just want to say that you have to keep on them.  Also  remind them that children learn by doing.  And if for any reason at all you want to relocate, just let me know.  We (myself, my kids, and even the school) would gladly welcome anyone with open arms to our area and school.
   
  Children need us to be open to things, they will learn very quickly what they can and can't do.  We don't need to pre set limitations for them.  Society already does plenty of that.  We need our children to grow up to be productive adults, not timid, unsure, reluctant adults that become dependent on everyone around them.
   
   
  Sorry this is soo long or off topic, I just had to share my experiences with you all.
   
  Rosina
  mother of three
  South Central Missouri