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Category: parenting

Illuminating the IEP, Part Two: The Components of an Individualized Education Program Meeting

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Advocacy , Education , expanded core curriculum , parenting , Planning for the Future , Technology
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In “Illuminating the IEP, Part One”, Ms. Carlton Anne Cook Walker communicated the purpose of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), reminding us that the “IEP” is designed to set forth the way a school will meet the educational and disability-related needs of the child.  If your school-age child has one or more disabilities including blindness or visual impairment, an appropriate education may include:  The general education … Continued

Illuminating the IEP, Part One: The Purpose of an Individualized Education Program

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Advocacy , Education , parenting , Planning for the Future
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by Carlton Anne Cook Walker If you are the parent or family member of a child or teen who is blind or has a visual impairment, you have (hopefully) heard the term IEP. Three letters: I, E, and P can engender a wide range of emotions – in parents, in teachers, in administrators, and even in children. Before diving … Continued

Braille Literacy Month: Emergent Literacy for Individuals Who Are Blind or Deafblind

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Activities , Books , Braille , communications , homeschooling , literacy , multiple disabilities , parenting , Personal Reflections , Reading
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Have you ever thought about how people learn? As I have written on previously (for instance, in the blog Explore an Orchard with Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired), and as you have no doubt witnessed in your own learning endeavors and when teaching your child(ren), individuals learn when they are able to make connections.  People aren’t blank slates on which we simply download or impart information; individuals understand concepts … Continued

“No, Thank You. I can do it”: Preventing Learned Helplessness

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Communication , Home modification , Independence , multiple disabilities , parenting , Self-Advocacy
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Imagine you are shopping for groceries, safely crossing a street, playing with your child at the park, utilizing an elevator, or completing a routine job task. You’re accomplishing what you have successfully accomplished for so many days and years. Your arm is clutched by a well-meaning individual wanting to “rescue” you, or you hear, “I’ve … Continued

Orientation and Mobility for Your Child Who Uses or Will Use a Wheelchair

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Getting Around , Independence , multiple disabilities , Orientation and Mobility , parenting
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Perhaps you are here today with apprehension or concern, eager to learn how your child will travel when blind or visually impaired and using a wheelchair (whether full-time or part-time). You aren’t sure how orientation and mobility (travel training for individuals who are blind or visually impaired) will work when your child isn’t walking. Is … Continued

Here We Go! Orientation and Mobility Instruction by Age

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Independence , Orientation and Mobility , parenting
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Editor’s Note: In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson established October 15th as White Cane Safety Day to raise awareness of people who use a white cane.  This post is the first in our series leading up to White Cane Day on October 15th. Stabilization. Strength. Motor function and control. Balance. Coordination. Awareness of one’s body and … Continued

Fall Family Fun: Explore an Orchard with Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Activities , Arts and Leisure , Education , nature , parenting , science
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Your child has likely sunk their teeth into a crisp apple bursting with sweet juices or taken spoonfuls of sugary, smooth applesauce with notes of warm cinnamon, but do they know how their snack came to be? Do they know how apples are grown and harvested? Do they truly know what an apple tree is? Have they run their fingers over the scaly bark, wrapped their arms around the girth … Continued

An Adventure in Summer ECC Skills: Make Smoothie Popsicles!

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: career exploration , Compensatory Skills , Cooking , ECC , expanded core curriculum , Independent Living , parenting , Self-Determination , summer
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It sure is getting hot outside! The temperature isn’t the only thing rising—so is our desire to have a little summer fun. Why not gather the family to make and eat ice lollies?!—that’s the endearing name for popsicles here in the United Kingdom. I’m all in—in fact, today I purchased silicone popsicle molds. While they’re not necessary for popsicle making, they sure simplify the task.  If you aren’t quite sure how to safely involve your … Continued

Let’s Go to the Loo: Resources for Potty Training a Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: hygiene , Independence , multiple disabilities , parenting , Self-Advocacy , summer
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Toilet training is often viewed as a looming hurdle, a giant obstacle, and an exhausting feat. One requiring patience upon patience. We parents arm ourselves with a litany of literature, hoping to prepare our children for success and ourselves with realistic expectations, but most toilet-training literature is written for children who are fully sighted. While … Continued

Swimming for Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Activities , Arts and Leisure , Independence , Orientation and Mobility , parenting , Social Life and Recreation , summer
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Get out the suits and sunscreen, it’s pool time! Swimming is a welcome reprieve from the heat and a phenomenal no-impact exercise for the entire family. But don’t take it from me: Letticia Martinez, Paralympian swimmer who is blind, shares her story to encourage parents. Let’s dive into accessibility considerations for your child who is … Continued