Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Just wanted to say... (self.Blind)
submitted by KickButtUsername
This is a great subreddit that I never knew existed!! My younger brother is blind and I try and help him the best way I can. This coming May 8th he turns 8 years old. Any advice for an older sister who will eventually have to deal with hormones and such for him? What was school like? What should I get ready for?
silverhythm 15 points
Source: I'm a totally Blind guy in his mid twenties that lives a self-sustained, not to mention awesome, life.
Encourage him to embrace technology any opportunity you get. His proficiency with it will make a huge difference in his ability to do everything from travel independently to make connections with friends to take care of himself and his personal space.
Some of the observations made by /u/RFLS about emotional growing pains are good to keep in mind, particularly the part about him refusing help when he shouldn't. I was a blind teenager too, it will happen at some point. Just be patient and don't deny him the chance to learn from his mistakes just like the rest of us have to.
Try to resist any urges to coddle him socially when possible. If some serious douchebags start beating on him, intervention is obvious. But it would be for a sighted kid too. He'll get picked on for being blind, but every kid gets picked on for something. To an extent kids picking on me was sort of a good thing. It normalized it, made it an OK part of conversation. So after a while the same kids that tease you about things become the kids best aware of how to help with whatever logistical challenges come up in our (mis)adventures.
Encourage him to embrace technology any opportunity you get. His proficiency with it will make a huge difference in his ability to do everything from travel independently to make connections with friends to take care of himself and his personal space.
Some of the observations made by /u/RFLS about emotional growing pains are good to keep in mind, particularly the part about him refusing help when he shouldn't. I was a blind teenager too, it will happen at some point. Just be patient and don't deny him the chance to learn from his mistakes just like the rest of us have to.
Try to resist any urges to coddle him socially when possible. If some serious douchebags start beating on him, intervention is obvious. But it would be for a sighted kid too. He'll get picked on for being blind, but every kid gets picked on for something. To an extent kids picking on me was sort of a good thing. It normalized it, made it an OK part of conversation. So after a while the same kids that tease you about things become the kids best aware of how to help with whatever logistical challenges come up in our (mis)adventures.
KickButtUsername [OP] 5 points
Ahh!! Thanks so much for the advice! My little brother is amazing and I can certainly say that he is very independent! I'm anxious and nervous to see him get older! :(
silverhythm 2 points
AH, as the older sister you're bound to be a bit nervous, but if he really has embraced independence at his age than I think excitement might be the more appropriate emotion! See, he'll never just blend into a crowd, and if he uses that as a source of confidence rather than a source of self-consciousness than it could go very well for him.
KickButtUsername [OP] 3 points
I'm actually in a party right now with kids his age and I like to see him interact with others. He's excited to be around kids his age. While he himself knows that he's blind, the other kids do not understand and constantly ask him "how many fingers am I holding up?" to see if its true. He touches their hands and feels to count and he becomes the center of attention for that while. Then they realize that he's not like them and they tend to stay away. Its tough to see him like this when all he wants to do is play with the other kids. It's going to be difficult but he's a tough kid. :)
TheGspotIhaveFound 2 points
How can you see this if you are blind? Not trying to be offensive but seems like i am a little stupid because other people haven't asked this :/
[deleted] 5 points
Have you ever used text-to-speech in XP? I bet you did.
silverhythm 4 points
It's all good, $1! :)
buschic 3 points
exactly, I use NVDA when on Windows machines, I also when using other peoples computers, have my trusty NVDA on a USB key.. or if I'm unable to do that, I use SATOGO (browser based screenreader)
I currently use a iMac at home, as well as 2 windows 7 machines, on the mac, its VoiceOver all the way.. on the windows machines, its NVDA, also I LOATHE, JAWS, its overpriced bloatware IMO, I will never allow anyone to ever install it or zoomtext ever again on any of my machines..
also in the east coast of canada, its almost impossible to get a computer funded much less get jaws or zoomtext on it, (unless your in post-secondary education).. so I saved up for almost a year, to buy my almost new laptop, I then put NVDA on it, its great..
I currently use a iMac at home, as well as 2 windows 7 machines, on the mac, its VoiceOver all the way.. on the windows machines, its NVDA, also I LOATHE, JAWS, its overpriced bloatware IMO, I will never allow anyone to ever install it or zoomtext ever again on any of my machines..
also in the east coast of canada, its almost impossible to get a computer funded much less get jaws or zoomtext on it, (unless your in post-secondary education).. so I saved up for almost a year, to buy my almost new laptop, I then put NVDA on it, its great..
xDevon 5 points
re-arrange the furniture daily, then he'll trip and shit all the time
RFLS 3 points
I'm not trying to be offensive, but I have to ask: How do the blind use this subreddit? Are readers a common thing, or are there interfaces that'll raise Braille on a surface? I knew a blind kid in high school, but not well enough to ask him.
From observation, school isn't overly hard unless the kids there are particular pricks. People tend to be pretty damn helpful if they see the cane or dog (or whatever other aid he might have).
From an "I'm an elder brother" perspective, I can tell you that hormones in any little brother mean he's going to be a little shit for a while, at some point in the near future. At a guess, it'll manifest as outbursts of anger or frustration if he's an outgoing person, and sullenness otherwise. Be ready for him to reject help you might offer (even if it's something he might genuinely need) if he gets in such a mood.
From observation, school isn't overly hard unless the kids there are particular pricks. People tend to be pretty damn helpful if they see the cane or dog (or whatever other aid he might have).
From an "I'm an elder brother" perspective, I can tell you that hormones in any little brother mean he's going to be a little shit for a while, at some point in the near future. At a guess, it'll manifest as outbursts of anger or frustration if he's an outgoing person, and sullenness otherwise. Be ready for him to reject help you might offer (even if it's something he might genuinely need) if he gets in such a mood.
Death1223 5 points
On screen reader.
KickButtUsername [OP] 2 points
I've always wondered about that too. Right now I don't think the school system in where I am are going to teach him how to use the computer yet but it'll be an interesting experience...I've been trying to teach him braille but he so friggin hyper to sit down. Either way if he turns out to be like me as a teenager...shit I got trouble in my hands! Lol
kaall 2 points
Both screen readers and braille displays exist and are often times used in conjunction to make things more efficient. All my blind friends (i have quite a few, wen't to a blind people school because i'm semi blind) use computers and the internet a lot because its actually easier then using older forms of media a lot of time. Although i don't know any who are on reddit.
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