Transition to Independence for Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
As a parent of a grade schooler who is significantly visually impaired, you can begin to consider endeavors which will prepare your son or daughter to work towards greater independence. Middle school or high school is on the horizon, bringing increased academic demands and different social pressures. You may want to explore summer and weekend programs for youths with visual impairments as potential opportunities for helping your child develop a range of social and independent living skills. Furthermore, although grade schoolers who are sighted are not learning to drive automobiles, many of them have pedal-powered vehicles, go-carts, and mechanized scooters. They are starting to think about driving cars and trucks, and you need to help prepare your child for what it’s going to be like as a nondriver or a low vision driver. Even at this young age, your family can support him in beginning to learn about how he’ll travel as an older student and young adult.
In this section, you’ll find resources that will help your grade schooler prepare for the transition to middle and high school and later adulthood.
- Orientation and Mobility for Blind Grade Schoolers
- Using Compass Directions in Orientation and Mobility
- “Never Eat Soggy Waffles”: How to Master Cardinal Directions
- Creating a DIY Tactile Map for Your Child or Teen Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired
- Helping Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired Get Oriented to a New School Building
- Clothing Choices and Care for Visually Impaired Grade School Children
- Self-Care Skills for Blind Children
- Problem-Solving Skills for Grade Schoolers with Visual Impairments
- Nonverbal Communication Skills for Blind Children
- Helping Your Visually Impaired Child Craft a Functional Disability Statement
- Teaching Your Child About Self-Advocacy
- Your Visually Impaired Child Can Advocate for Her Own Needs
- 5 Tips to Help Your Child Who Is Visually Impaired Move Up to Middle or High School
- Learning to Be an Independent Nondriver
- Exposing Visually Impaired Children to Group Work
- Team Sports as a Tool for Building Job Awareness in Blind Children
- Helping Your Blind Child Learn in the Community
- Volunteer Work as a Child’s Preparation for Employment