Welcome to the Youth and Families Corner!

  • Youth and Families Corner: Understanding Relationships, Family & Blindness/Low Vision

    Are you a young person or part of a family curious about love, family, and how relationships work? You've come to the right place! This special section is for kids, teens, and their families to explore family life and relationships, focusing on understanding blindness and low vision.

    Discover inspiring stories, learn interesting facts about living with blindness, and find helpful resources to connect and support each other. Whether you're a child with questions about friendship, a teen navigating relationships, or a family seeking guidance on visual impairment, we hope this corner offers valuable support and information.

    For Younger Kids (Ages 5-10): Understanding Family

    What is Family? Families are groups of people who love and care for each other. There are many different kinds of families!

    • Sometimes a family has a mom and a dad who live together and care for their children.
    • Sometimes a family has just a mom who lives with her children and cares for them. She does everything moms and dads do in other families!
    • Sometimes a family has just a dad who lives with his children and cares for them. He does everything moms and dads do in other families!
    • Kids sometimes live with their grandma and grandpa or special grown-ups like aunts, uncles, or guardians.
    • Sometimes families are formed through adoption, where children become part of a new loving family.
    • Sometimes families have same-sex parents, two moms, or two dads.

    The most important thing about a family is the love and support the people in it share. Everyone in a family helps each other in different ways.

    Important for Kids: Always tell a trusted adult if something makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

    Friends are Special: Understanding Friendship for Younger Kids (Ages 5-10)

    What Makes a Real Friend?

    A real friend is someone who:

    • Is kind to you: They say nice things and don't try to hurt your feelings.
    • Likes to play with you: They enjoy doing things you like together.
    • Shares with you: They happily share their toys or treats.
    • Listens to you: They pay attention when you talk and care about your words.
    • Helps you: If you're sad or need help, a real friend tries to improve things.
    • Accepts you: They like you just the way you are, even if you do things differently (like using a special tool to see or learn if you have low vision or are blind).
    • Doesn't make fun of you: Real friends don't laugh at you or make you feel bad.

    Dealing with Unkind Kids (Bullying):

    Sometimes, kids aren't very nice. This is called bullying. Bullying can be:

    • Saying mean things: Calling you names or making fun of you.
    • Leaving you out: Not letting you play or be part of a group on purpose.
    • Pushing or hitting you: Hurting your body.
    • Taking your things: Taking your toys without asking and not returning them.
    • Making you feel scared or sad on purpose.

    If someone is bullying you, remember:

    • It's not your fault.
    • You are not alone. Many kids experience bullying.
    • Tell a trusted adult (parent, teacher, grandparent, etc.) who can help stop the bullying.
    • Stay with your real friends. Bullies are less likely to bother you when you're with supportive people.
    • Be brave and say "Stop!" if you feel safe.
    • Walk away if someone is being mean and go to a safe place.

    For Teens (Ages 11-17): Understanding Deeper Friendships

    What Makes a Real Friend?

    Real friends are people who:

    • Are trustworthy: You can count on them to keep secrets and be honest.
    • Are respectful: They value your opinions, feelings, and boundaries, including respecting different needs related to visual impairment or blindness.
    • Offer support: They're there for you in tough times and celebrate your successes.
    • Listen actively: They genuinely hear you.
    • Accept you: They appreciate your individuality.
    • Are empathetic: They try to understand your feelings.
    • Build you up: They make you feel good about yourself.

    Dealing with Bullying (Complex Situations for Teens):

    Bullying among teens can be:

    • Verbal bullying: Name-calling, insults, rumors, cyberbullying.
    • Social exclusion: Intentionally leaving someone out.
    • Physical bullying: Pushing, shoving, hitting.
    • Prejudice-based bullying: Targeting someone due to race, religion, sexual orientation, disability (visual impairment, blindness), etc.

    If you're being bullied or see someone else being bullied:

    • Talk to a trusted adult.
    • Document everything.
    • Don't retaliate.
    • Stay in safe places.
    • Surround yourself with supportive friends.
    • Speak up for yourself (if safe).
    • Report cyberbullying.
    • Know your rights at school.
    • Offer support to others who are being bullied and report it.

    Helping Hands at Home: Contributing as a Family

    For Younger Kids (Ages 5-10): Helping at Home

    Everyone Can Help at Home! Helping makes everyone feel like part of the team. You can help by:

    • Putting away toys.
    • Helping with laundry (in the hamper, putting away socks).
    • Setting the table (napkins, spoons).
    • Helping with pets (water, treats – with permission).
    • Tidying up (clearing plates, wiping spills – with help).

    Learning to Help: Your family will show you how to do things safely. They might describe where things are or guide your hands. Practice makes perfect!

    For Teens (Ages 11-17): Contributing to the Household

    As teens, you can take on more household chores to help and prepare for independence:

    • Laundry, vacuuming, cleaning, taking out trash, recycling, and.
    • Meal preparation, grocery shopping (with or without a guide or using accessible apps).
    • Yard work (mowing, raking, weeding – safely).
    • Technology assistance for family members.
    • Running errands (depending on independence).

    Learning Household Skills: Your family will provide instructions, including verbal descriptions and tactile cues, especially for safety. Accessible tools might also help. The focus is on adapting tasks to your abilities.

    For Families (Parents, Guardians, Siblings): Encouraging Independence

    It's essential for everyone, including those with visual impairments, to contribute at home. Tips for families:

    • Start early with simple tasks.
    • Use clear communication (verbal, tactile, demonstrations).
    • Adapt tasks to abilities and vision levels (different tools, labeling, routines).
    • Focus on abilities, not limitations.
    • Be patient and offer encouragement.
    • Involve everyone in planning chores.
    • Utilize technology (accessible apps).
    • Prioritize safety with clear instructions and supervision.

    Learning Together: Families are the primary teachers for household skills, adapting to individual needs and using accessible methods.

    Stories: Inspiring Tales

    Read short, positive stories about kids with different abilities, including blindness and low vision, enjoying time with families and friends. These stories focus on kindness, sharing, and understanding.

    "Can You See It My Way?" Activities: Experiencing Other Senses

    Engaging Activities for Younger Kids (Ages 5-10):

    These fun activities encourage using senses other than sight and relying on verbal cues. Adult supervision is essential for safety.

    • Guided Obstacle Course: Blindfolded child guided verbally through a simple course. Focus on listening, communication, and trust.
    • Sound Scavenger Hunt: Locating hidden sound-making objects using verbal clues. Focus on auditory awareness.
    • Texture Guessing Game: Identifying objects by touch. Focus on tactile exploration.
    • Scent Station: Guessing scents. Focus on smell.
    • "Describe It" Drawing Game: Drawing based on verbal descriptions while blindfolded. Focus on verbal description and spatial awareness.
    • Musical Statues (Sound Edition): Freezing when music stops, with a sighted listener identifying movement by sound. Focus on auditory cues.
    • Adapted "Blind Man's Bluff": Tagging others based on sound while blindfolded (in a safe area).

    Essential Considerations for Kids' Activities: Safety first, keep it short and fun, focus on the experience and building empathy, discuss feelings afterwards, and use positive language.

    Engaging Activities for Teenagers (Ages 13-17):

    More complex activities focusing on teamwork, problem-solving, and understanding navigation without sight. Safety is paramount.

    • Complex Guided Navigation Challenge: Blindfolded teen guided verbally through a more intricate course with tasks. Focus on precise communication, spatial awareness, trust, and problem-solving.
    • Blindfolded Construction/Assembly: Building or solving puzzles based on verbal instructions. Focus on clear communication and spatial reasoning.
    • Sound Mapping: Creating a mental map based on sounds. Focus on auditory localization.
    • Taste and Smell Identification Challenge: Identifying food items without sight. Focus on sensory discrimination.
    • Blindfolded Problem-Solving Scenario: Solving a simple problem with verbal guidance only. Focus on collaboration.
    • Adapted Sports Challenges: Introduction to Goalball, Beep Baseball Simulation, Blindfolded Running (with tether and guide). Focus on experiencing adaptive sports.
    • "Describe Your Environment" Challenge: Describing surroundings based on touch, sound, and smell while blindfolded. Focus on sensory interpretation.

    Essential Considerations for Teens' Activities: Increased complexity, emphasis on teamwork and communication, discussion of strategies, connecting to real-world experiences of blindness and low vision, respect and empathy, safety first.

    Sibling Support: Building Strong Family Bonds

    Why Sibling Support is Important:

    Unique Bond, Companionship, Social Learning, Emotional Support, Practical Assistance, Advocacy, Long-Term Relationships, Reduced Isolation for the visually impaired sibling, Development of Empathy for the sighted sibling.

    When Can Sibling Support Be Offered?

    Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood: Adapting support to age and abilities (playing together, guidance, peer support, assistance with tasks, emotional understanding, practical help, advocacy, shared experiences).

    How Can Siblings Offer Support?

    Educate Themselves about visual impairment, Communicate Openly, Be Patient, Adapt Activities, Offer Practical Help (while encouraging independence), Be an Advocate, Celebrate Achievements, Spend Quality Time, Understand Differences, Seek Information Together, Respect Privacy.

    Resources for Siblings:

     

    Remember: Kindness, empathy, and open communication are the keys to strong relationships and families. Seek support, learn about each other's experiences, and ask questions—these are strengths, not weaknesses.