Category: Daily Living
Hello,
I'm just looking to chat with other people who grew up with a blind parent and who is also blind themself. I've lived with my disability all my life and only just relized that I've never met another person who is blind and also has a blind parent. So I wouldn't mind sfinding people to swap stories, share trials and tribulations, etc.
Hope to hear from people,
Bookbug
Both my parents are sighted, but I can only imagine some of the unique challenges faced by a blind person with a blind parent. Not only do you have to answer all the regular blind quesions, but then, you'd have to field some pretty interesting questions about your parent/s as well.
I don't know about others in my situation, but the most challenging thing is that we deal with things differently. My mother has been blind for about 25 years now and dealt with poor vision from birth. My parents were also divorced when I was six, which means I was pretty much raised by my blind parent alone.
But I digress, the most challenging thing is that usually the way she deals with things is the way she feels I should deal with things. Ever since I was diagnosed with having the same condition, she's been slowly molding me to be like her and act like her when handling life with a visual impairment. Now, in my very late twenties, I'm trying to be my own person, but it's, again, challenging, because it causes a lot of tension and frustration.
I don't want to make this a rant or anything like that. I just wanted to share my most challenging aspect of dealing with a blind parent when you're blind yourself. I still hope to make contact with others in my situation. I'd be ver interested to know if the things they encounter are the same, etc.
Bookbug
Hi, that must have been hard for your mother to raise you more or less on her own. That is difficult enough for a sighted single parent. This might sound like a dumb question, but have you talked about contentious issues with your mom? Part of rowing up is realizing that we're not always gonna please our parents, and that's just the way it is. That's why the unconditional love of most parents is so great, they love you even though they know you're not gonna always live up to their standards. Plus, your mom is from a different generation, so their are probably those differences too. In any case, I know how frustrating it can be when parents don't understand your way of doing things.
Blw,
At the age of 28, I've learned that trying to talk with my mother is near impossible. I do acknowledge her concerns and her issues with me, however, since I still live at home and rely on her for my room and board... Well, let's just say that I lack any leverage when we do have heart-to-hear talks.
Don't get me wrong. My mother has taken care of me and my siblings, lovd us, protected us, etc. I wouldn't trade her for the world. However, with that being said, any discussions with her always wind up with her feeling that I'm the one that needs to change or understand that her way is the only way. And while she doesn't say it like that, it's essentially what it boils down to by the time the discussion ends.
One of the reasons why I guess I'm looking for someone who also has a blind parent is to hopefully find ways for her and myself to co-exist better. Apparently what I'm doing now and the advice I've implemented over the years, it hasn't worked. My siblings have recently expressed concern in that they feel I'm allowing my mother to mentally bend me to be exactly like her and that I'm not able to express myself in my own invidual way.
I really could go on and on, but like I said in my other replies, I don't want to make this a rant. I'm looking for support outside of my family and current friends. I'm all out of people to go to for answers, because no one seems to have anything else to advise.
Anyway, whoever read this super-long post, I appreciate your time.
Bookbug