“I’m very delighted with your progress”

When my daughter was in primary school the Senco suggested it might help if she learnt to touch type. So began our relationship with the ‘very delightful’ Mavis Beacon programme. My daughter did learn to touch type using recordings of Ms Beacon’s voice with those delightful sporadic words of encouragement echoing in all of our ears.

She still touch types today and what a life skill it has proven to be. It was invaluable throughout secondary school and university and remains so now that she is working, though it doesn’t necessarily help her actually respond to those 200 emails sitting in her inbox!

The RNIB still recommends today that children with visual impairment, however slight or severe, learn to touch type. Mavis Beacon may have neen superceded by more up to date online courses and programmes, but whichever one your child follows I can guarantee that they, too, will be “very delighted” that they did.

Small things remembered

I found this piece today whilst browsing, of all things, knitting patterns and wanted to share it with other nystagmus mums. I hope it resonates with you as much as it did with me.

“When our children were born we counted their toes and their fingers. We marvelled at their tiny tummies and took note of their birthmarks. We noticed where they were “normal” and where they were “different”, and we treasured them all the same because they were ours and perfect in our eyes. We dressed them in soft cloth, and we snuggled for hours (and hours and hours). In our minds we hold snapshots of these moments untouched by the present no matter how long ago our children were new: the eye gazing, the sleep smiles, the middle-of-the-nights alone together. It’s the small things we remember, the small things we keep forever in our treasure chests, and it’s these same small things we hope to have the chance to pass on to our children when their children are new.”

Source: http://www.loveknitting.com/small-things-romper-sweater-knitting-pattern-by-carina-spencer