[blindkid] Help needed~Recess

Richard Holloway rholloway at gopbc.org
Fri Sep 18 01:48:58 UTC 2009


Stacy,

While I too agree that some O&M training would probably help (and I  
hope that she has a white cane that she's using to help her move about  
through her environment as appropriate on the playground and  
elsewhere), the more glaring issue would seem to be that of children  
playing in a parking lot. I doubt your state would approve of that and  
I wonder how the parents of the sighted kids feel about it as well.  
Aren't all those kids getting excessively banged-up as too?

I've never been impressed with our state's safety standards for  
playgrounds, but even so, I believe they require a "safe" playground  
surface for both public and private schools. Having the kids play on  
(presumably) asphalt seems like an invitation to both injuries and  
lawsuits to me. I won't even let my own kids play in our own  
playground without a good six inches or more of mulch where they are  
likely to fall.

I think it is generally accepted that asphalt, concrete, dirt, and  
grass are simply not appropriate for playground activities. I know  
kids do tend to run and play on dirt / grass fields at times, but I  
would think that general play would be far better on a cushioned  
surface, again, for ALL the kids.

One other thing-- I may be missing something here, but I can't see  
from your posting how a limited area of mobility would help the  
situation-- would that not just give your child a smaller area of the  
asphalt on which to fall? And I think there is no doubt that socially  
a limited play area is not the best plan as it sends the wrong message  
to everyone involved...

Our daughter (age seven) has no light perception at all and has been  
using a typical playground with her sighted classmates since she was  
barely three years old. She uses a cane to come and go to/from the  
playground and then uses her cane and parks it as needed while she  
plays. I think our typically sighted 3-year old has gotten more bumps  
and bangs than his sister in half the years of living.

Richard



On Sep 17, 2009, at 5:01 PM, Stacy Lemmon wrote:

> Hi all! I need your help, input, suggestions. Adison is 5 and has  
> low vision. She attends a parachoial school for kindergarten. There  
> is no playground/equipment. The kids play outside in the parking  
> lot. Everyday Adison has gotten hurt and ended up in the nurse's  
> office...skinned knees, elbows, bumped head etc.  She has gotten  
> hurt even when I've gone in to help with lunch duty.  We thought  
> about asking the school to paint an area where she must remain, and  
> other peers can join her. I don't want to restrict or limit her, but  
> I'm concerned about safety. I'm worried the alternative would be  
> 'sit here and play with chalk'.
>
> Thanks!
> Stacy
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