[blindkid] walking home from school.

Tue May 15 21:32:01 UTC 2012

Penny,

This is a great opportunity!  work on those street-crossing skills 
now!  If she doesn't learn how to do it now--at an age-appropriate 
time--when will she?  Why NOT learn now!

The only thing I'd make sure of (beyond the safe crossings) is that 
she actually does learn the way.  I have notoriously bad orientation 
(yes, I'm sighted) and walked to school with my older sister for a 
year and a half and NEVER learned my way!!!  Maybe if someone had 
given me the training then, my brain would have learned how.

Carol

Carol Castellano
President, Parents of Blind Children-NJ
Director of Programs
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.blindchildren.org
www.nopbc.org

At 04:08 PM 5/15/2012, you wrote:
>They would need to cross two major streets (major doesn't mean crazy busy
>just they do involve some attention) It is all in a residental area. The
>first street has a crossing guard and the other street is just a little bit
>near were I live so I could meet them and watch them cross at least the
>first few times.   Its only a ten minute walk. Since they are doing it
>together i think they would be fine.  My daughter who is blind is the
>younger sibling.
>
>I think it would instill a bit more independence for both kids. Nothing
>beats time without your over protective mother hovering over you.  The goal
>would be that perhaps she could walk home by herself in 5th grade but at
>least by middle school.
>
>-Penny
>  On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 9:47 AM, Arielle Silverman 
> <arielle71 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
> > I totally agree with Barbara. What kind of street will she need to
> > cross to get home?
> > The best way for her to improve her street-crossing skills is through
> > practice and the best way to get practice is to do the crossing every
> > day!
> > Speaking from the other side of the coin, because I am blind, I wasn't
> > allowed to walk to or from the bus stop alone until I was 13--and the
> > street crossings I needed to do for this route were merely residential
> > crossings. I have always had trouble with street crossings and I
> > believe if I had been expected to learn and use those skills earlier,
> > I would have been a much better and safer traveler.
> > Arielle
> >
> > On 5/15/12, Barbara Hammel <poetlori8 at msn.com> wrote:
> > > If Abby's cane skills are good, practice street crossings over the
> > summer,
> > > even if it's just the streets on the school route.  If, when school
> > starts,
> > >
> > > you feel comfortable that she could do it alone if need be, then let them
> > > walk.  If you had this plan when she could see, there is no reason why
> > you
> > > can't do it even though she is now blind.
> > > The one thing in considering, here, is that you don't want her to depend
> > > upon older sibling in case she has to go alone some time.
> > > The time will be right when she can do it safely.  I have confidence that
> > > you'll know when that is.
> > > Barbara
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. -- Carl Sandburg
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Penny Duffy
> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:30 AM
> > > To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> > > Subject: [blindkid] walking home from school.
> > >
> > > Hello everyone.
> > >
> > > I am considering have my kids walk home from school next year without
> > > me.Did I really just say that.  We are walking distance from the school.
> > > They have walked the route often.  My kids who will be in 3rd grade and
> > 5th
> > > grade next year and would be walking home TOGETHER.  One of my kids are
> > > blind and the other one is sighted.   I am really looking for some input.
> > > I can't see why my daughter's blindness is that much of an  issue.
> >  Should
> > > i wait till Abby's O&M street crossing skills are better?  When Abby was
> > in
> > > kindergarten (and sighted) I always thought that I would let the kids
> > walk
> > > home when they were win 5th and 3rd grade.
> > >
> > > I think it would be great for both my kids than again the kids may reject
> > > the idea and the rules that come with it.
> > >
> > > --Penny
> > > ----------
> > > My Blog - visionfora.blogspot.com
> > >
> > > NH Parents of Blind Children http://www.nhpobc.org/
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>
>
>
>--
>--
>--Penny
>----------
>My Blog - visionfora.blogspot.com
>
>NH Parents of Blind Children http://www.nhpobc.org/
>NHPOBC on facebook   https://www.facebook.com/nhpobc
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