Development

Your child is growing in independence as they advocate for themselves, interact socially with friends, learn academic skills, and become more self-aware. 

Developing a Strong Self-Worth

 It is crucial for children to have a sense of self-worth as it lays the foundation for healthy emotional and social development. Self-worth is the belief that one has value and is capable of positively contributing to the world around them. Children with a healthy sense of self-worth are more likely to have confidence in themselves and their abilities and a positive attitude toward challenges and setbacks. This, in turn, develops resilience, improved mental health, and better relationships with others. It is important for parents and caregivers to foster an environment that supports and encourages children to develop their self-worth by providing praise and constructive feedback, setting achievable goals, and celebrating their accomplishments

Young girl facing outside with her reflection of herself in the window. 

Building Self-Esteem in Children Who Are Blind or Low Vision

Self-esteem has a strong impact on all aspects of a person’s life. If your child has self-esteem, in general, feels good about themself and their accomplishments. Self-esteem provides a foundation […]

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A group of three students walking into a school.

Helping Your Child Who Is Blind or Has Low Vision Learn How to Make Friends

Tips for Promoting Friendships Most people and adults are somewhat social by nature and being able to form ongoing relationships contributes in an important way to your child’s overall development. […]

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Child completes a puzzle

Problem-Solving Skills for Grade Schoolers with Blindness or Low Vision

Grade school life is a rich environment for learning problem-solving skills. Just think of the typical situations your child or family member who is blind or low vision confronts at […]

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Young boy crossing his arms in front of his upper body

It’s a Matter of Safety: What Kinds of Touch are Okay?

This article helps parents and caregivers teach blind and low-vision children about safe and unsafe touching. Often, people who are blind get used to being touched as part of daily […]

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School and Home Partnership

To support your child who is blind or low vision, establish a strong partnership between home and school. As parents, you are the experts on your child's unique needs and can provide valuable insight into their strengths and challenges. This knowledge can help teachers know how to best work with and support your child. In addition, parents can provide important support at home that can reinforce what is being taught in the classroom. By working together, parents

North American School Bus.

Preparing for the First Day of Public School as a Student Who is Blind or Has Low Vision

In this excerpt from Reach Out and Teach: Helping Your Child Who Is Visually Impaired Learn and Grow by Kay Alicyn Ferrell, a child’s kindergarten classroom environment is explored with […]

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Clock on a school wall

Encouraging Listening in the Kindergarten Classroom for Children Who Are Blind or Low Vision

From the book Learning to Listen/Listening to Learn: Teaching Listening Skills to Students with Visual Impairments edited by Lizbeth A. Barclay. By kindergarten, it is important that most of the […]

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Hands using scissors to cut paper with tactile materials behind to make a book.

Reading and Making Tactile Books with Your Child

Reading to your child helps them in many ways. It teaches new ideas, improves talking skills, and prepares them for learning to read. If your child is blind or has […]

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Cute happy schoolgirl puts stationery in a backpack.

Helping Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision Manage Classroom Work and Homework

Teachers and parents sometimes find it hard to decide or agree on how much classroom work and homework to require of a student with blindness or low vision. Your child’s […]

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Three students working together on a science project.

Exposing Children Who are Blind or Low Vision to Group Work

John Donne famously wrote, “No man is an island.” Focusing that idea on our topic of your child’s career, we can quote APH ConnectCenter’s positive work habits lesson plan, “A […]

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An elementary student working with an older student to learn about a trumpet by feeling the buttons.

Everyone Needs a Role Model

Your child might already have a role model. This is someone they really admire and want to be like. It could be a family member, like an older cousin, or […]

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