What does it feel like? Uh, to be deaf.....
How do we do this better? Uh, parent of deaf kid....
What do I do different? How do I do it?
Those are the questions my husband and I asked. Now that we are 13 years in I feel it is important to ask again.
What tech stuff do we need? What did we do right or wrong? How can we be better parents? Anything is a fair question or answer.
I feel we, as parents, hold on to our way and never look back. I am just wondering if there is something we missed?
Oh, I think every good parent asks that question. From the stories you told, it looks like you are doing a superb job.
ReplyDeleteMy son is off to second year of college, and my daughter just got accepted to her first choice of college on early decision.
Still, I wonder if there was something I should have or could have done for both of them.
My children have fun letting me know when I've been "bad" and when I've been "good."
Those should'vas and could'vas do nothing but get us in trouble. However, I think it's good to ask ourselves that and have an honest assessment of the situation.
Mel -
ReplyDeletefrom what i have read of the home u all have created for ur family and how u follow haddy's lead while also advocating where and as needed and empowering him to do the same - i think u is fine
probably the best person to ask would be him - and im sure u already did to which he may have said well i need a new wii or playstation or WOW smile
it seems to me u have given him unconditional love and that is a must have for a healthy and happy persona especially when u r an involuntary minority
once i read the best thing parents can do for their children is to love each other completely - children marinate in the love of their parents
im sure u have covered that area too
ur asking these questions further signifies just how grand u is
take a bow
come on now
im watching
peace
patti
Hey thanks.
ReplyDeleteI find myself sometimes just going along with what we set up as the daily rhythm and find it helps me to stop every now and then to make sure it is working.
You asked some thought-provoking questions since I thought about what I did for my family that had an impact on them.
ReplyDeleteTwo things come to mind.
One is to attend a national conference where the majority of attendees are deaf. Like National Association of the Deaf (NAD) conference. The next one is in Louisville, Kentucky during summer of 2012.
We took our family to the NAD conference in Washington, DC in 2000. My kids got a huge kick from how they would bump signers everywhere in the hotel. In the swimming pool, at the restaurant, in the hallways. I think Haddy would enjoy that if he hasn't already done that.
I would also highly recommend sending Haddy to Youth Leadership Camp (YLC), a four-week leadership camp for deaf youth. It's a program sponsored by NAD; they have their camp in Oregon.
Only 64 campers are accepted every summer, and they are into their 42nd summer.
Not sure if Haddy would like to do that, but friends made at YLC are friends for life.
Check out NAD website for additional information about YLC. One has to be a junior or a senior to apply.
Incidentally, today, our family attended our last IEP conference. Can't say we will miss them. Our daughter, Tory, is graduating this June and heading to Boston University (gulp!).