Blind Childrens Center
4120 Marathon Street, Los Angeles, California 90029 (323)664-2153
A family-centered agency serving children with visual impairments
Fathers: A Common Ground
Explores the concerns and roles fathers play in the early childhood development of their children with visual impairments
Paul Schmitt, L.C.S.W. & Fernanda Armenta-Schmitt, Ph.D. ©1999
$10 Available in English only (50 pages)
From the introduction...
The primary purpose of this booklet is to reach fathers of young
children who are blind and visually impaired. We hope to emphasize how
important these men are to their families and to increase awareness of
the impact that fathers can have on the growth and adaptation of the
family. The material in these pages is intended to decrease feelings
of isolation, normalize the experience of parenting a child with special
needs, and provide skills and resources to facilitate the coping process
for fathers. This booklet includes information that covers many different
aspects involved in parenting a blind or visually impaired child, and
you may want to keep it around for reference at different points in time.
We hope to inspire you to celebrate and honor your own progress. Look at the growth you have made by acknowledging where you are now. Remember you are not alone. There are thousands of men taking the journey with you. Some will look to you for leadership and guidance, seeking your advice and warnings about the journey, others will want to lead the way and have you follow, and still others will simply wish to walk along side you as you each tread your own path. We wish you luck on your journey and all the magic of parenting that a child has the potential to bring to this world, if we allow it.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The importance of father
The family context
Understanding your experiences
Common feelings shared by fathers
Aloneness
Guilt
Blame
The couple
Men want to be heard & included
Education
Parenting skills
Play
Breaking new ground
Acknowledgments
About the authors
Resources
References
Blind Childrens Center
4120 Marathon Street
Los Angeles, California 90029-3584
(323) 664-2153 • Fax (323) 665-3828
©2008 Blind Childrens Center
All rights reserved.
