[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
Richard Holloway
rholloway at gopbc.org
Thu Jan 21 04:10:34 UTC 2010
This topic has churned up way more emotion than I would ever have
anticipated. Rarely have I run across ANY situation in life that has
absolute answers. (Who among us has?) I hardly know where to begin to
respond to some of these postings so I would offer instead some
general observations and comments.
My sister is a bit older than I am. When she turned 18, she was
legally "old enough" to drink in Georgia. Same city, only a few years
later-- I was not "legal" until 19. Then at about 6 months later, I
was underage again. Legal at 20 again, then underage once more.
Finally at 21, I was again (and finally remained) "old enough" to
drink. Yet when I had gone to Europe years before at 16, it was quite
legal for me to drink in many locations. Worldwide, drinking ages vary
from at lest 15 to 25. How much sense does that make?
Many of us think of the legal driving age as 16, but that varies too.
In Europe it tends to be 18 except for the UK where I believe it is
17. Yet in New Zealand it is 15 and if you go to Africa, apparently
you can drive at 14 in Ethiopia. 14-- wow, that would never happen in
the U.S., right? Well not unless you're in Kansas and you work on a
farm, because in Kansas you can have a farm permit, which allows you
to drive on public roads on farm business AND to and from school at 14
as well. Incredible? Well, you can get a farm permit in Nebraska at
age 13 (though you have to be 14 if you don't actually live on the
farm but are just an employee). Would this be advisable in Chicago or
New York City? Probably not, and that is the point-- It isn't about
age, it is about the individual, the particular situation, and all the
circumstances. It is about doing the best we can for our kids.
I cannot help but think about past "official" positions on cane use
for blind children and be alarmed when I hear that there is supposedly
never a situation where it would be helpful and appropriate to have a
guide dog for a young person from 12 to 15. And in fact, aren't we
really talking more about 12-17? After all, from what I read in the
past, most places only place guide dogs with people over 18 (unless
that has changed?) Besides, we are also arguing over "kids" not being
old enough to legally be responsible for damage their dogs might
cause-- that has to mean 18, right?
No posting which I have read has suggested this would be something
done without reasonable and proper care in the placement process and
so forth but that seems to be the assumption on the part of at least
some involved. I think that is part of what is getting some of us
stirred up.
Having no direct guide dog experience, I truly don't know how well
this might work but I cannot see the harm in guide dog experts looking
further into this. I do, however, see great potential harm in placing
additional obstacles in the way of our children without analyzing all
available information. We have enough obstacles already.
Richard
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