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Category: Personal Reflections

Fostering Strong, Healthy Bonds Between Siblings When One Child Has a Visual Impairment

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Social Life and Recreation , Social Skills
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Families who have a child who is blind or visually impaired spend much time and energy teaching concepts which would otherwise be learned incidentally, demonstrating self-care and home management skills, addressing accessibility concerns, visiting specialists, attending educational planning meetings, and responding to questions of passersby and family members. Siblings can feel forgotten. Siblings can feel … Continued

Meet Families Just Like Yours—Families with Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Low Vision , News from FamilyConnect , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future
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As parents of a child who is blind or visually impaired, it’s one thing to utilize FamilyConnect to read about teaching your young blind child to read and write, learning the role of the teacher of students with visual impairments, helping your child manage his or her feelings about having a disability, or understanding advanced … Continued

Meet Families Just Like Yours—Families with Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Low Vision , News from FamilyConnect , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future
By

As parents of a child who is blind or visually impaired, it’s one thing to utilize FamilyConnect to read about teaching your young blind child to read and write, learning the role of the teacher of students with visual impairments, helping your child manage his or her feelings about having a disability, or understanding advanced … Continued

Confidence, Optimism, and High Expectations Breed Faith

From: Raising a Child Who Is Blind and...
Categories: Autism Spectrum Disorders , Independence , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future
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I was recently thinking about the variety of professionals that worked with Eddie over the years. Being an educator myself and reflecting on my own work, I was trying to remember what made some people stand out more than others. My conclusion was that those who had confidence in their decisions, optimism for Eddie, and … Continued

Are You Homeschooling Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired? Share Your Experience and Resources

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Education , Home Schooling , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Reading
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Hi, homeschooling families! I have heard from many a family who has a child who is blind or visually impaired and who is researching homeschooling. And so I come to you, homeschooling families, asking you to share your experiences and advice. We’d love to glean from you and hear what it’s like to homeschool a … Continued

Equipping Your Teen Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired for College

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Education , Independence , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Self-Advocacy , Transition
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Leer este artículo en español As a first-generation college graduate, I know from experience that there is room for blind students in every college classroom. However, as a first-generation student, I also know that blind students must be prepared for college in order to succeed. You see, there is a substantial difference between college and … Continued

Blind Young Adult Shares What Led to Her Preparedness for Adulthood

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Independence , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Self-Advocacy
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No matter the age of your child who is blind or visually impaired, I know you’re utilizing FamilyConnect because you are committed to preparing your son or daughter for a successful future. It’s why you read our resources such as preparing your child with multiple disabilities for his future, planning for the future as a … Continued

Letticia Martinez, Paralympian Swimmer Who Is Blind, Shares Her Story to Encourage Parents

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Independence , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Self-Advocacy , Social Life and Recreation , Sports
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Editor’s note: AFB FamilyConnect knows sports and physical education have benefits aplenty for children who are blind and visually impaired. In an effort to inspire parents of children with visual impairments to encourage participation in sports, we enthusiastically share Paralympian swimmer, Letticia Martinez’s story. Letticia Martinez Shares Her Story to Encourage Parents Often time people … Continued

In Early Intervention, We Advocate for Babies and Toddlers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Education , Independence , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Self-Advocacy
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We’ve all heard the saying comparing children to sponges—soaking up all the verbal and nonverbal cues from the world around them. Just as a sponge placed in the vicinity of an expanding puddle will inevitably absorb and store the contents into its many pores, so will a child, exposed to various sensory information, have access … Continued

Classroom Parties for Children with Visual Impairments

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Holidays , Independence , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Planning for the Future , Social Life and Recreation
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Editor’s note: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and so are the classroom parties at your child’s school. To help include your child who is blind or visually impaired, Samantha Kelly shares her tips and advice on creating an accessible school celebration. Classroom Parties for Children with Visual Impairments When your child is in … Continued