Birth to Five Vision Network Workshop>Coping Skills

Today we attended the Birth to Five Vision Network Workshop , "Sharing the Journey: Real Stories and Real Strategies". This was our first year attending, and it won't be the last. We heard so many stories of strength and wisdom towards the challenges we face in raising a child with a visual impairment. It was really nice to be in a group where everyone can relate on a certain level. We have all faced many of the same issues; people who have been insensitive in public, the feeling you get when someone is waving at your baby/child and they don't wave back, the feeling when your child falls further and further behind in development, when the day comes that your child needs to start in a public school, the initial disappointment for fathers that their child won't play sports, and so many more things we deal with from feelings of frustration to the big unanswered question of why me and why my child. Nonetheless, it was an emotional day. It was great to hear stories of families whose children were older and seeing all things that their children are doing. One of the main focuses was sharing coping strategies along with our stories. Here are a few that really stood out to me:

• It is what it is(acceptance).
• Block out the negative
• Only bring positivity into your home
• Embrace your child for everything he/she is, and celebrate all the improvements they make, big or small
• Gratitude: Be thankful for the people who choose to be in your child's life; doctors, therapists, family, and friends.
• Your child is not their diagnosis, they are your child.

• You have to be comfortable in knowing your child is different, to make your child comfortable, and therefor making others comfortable.

There were also some great suggestions in teaching others about your child. One mom wrote a simple letter to give to all the parents when her child started at a typical preschool. The letter just explained briefly about the child and diagnosis, and gave her phone number and e-mail address to contact her with any questions the parents or other children may have. Another idea one mom had was to make cards that you can hand out to people when you are in public and people awkwardly stare, or when other children ask questions about why your child is different. The cards are as simple as: "Hi, my name is ____ , I am blind, but I love to play games just like you, and _____  my favorite toy is_____"

All in all it was a really great day. It has encouraged me to want to be a part of more Parent Groups.

If you visit the Birth to Five website, they have tons of resources.
http://www.birthtofivevision.org/information.html