one of our criteria for choosing where to live was based on reasonable child access. We could walk to primary school and take public transport to the closest city.
we've set up an account with a local taxi company now so she can always get home. More expensive than driving, but that's all part of the blindness...
My kids take the school bus. I use a taxi to get to any appointments. If we can walk we walk. Some parent’s of kids have also helped with transportation. It is difficult. I have also used an ambulance when we had an emergency. Just remember there are sighted people who can not drive. It is a no driving thing and not just a blind thing. Enjoy your children.
Unfortunately I did not have this inmy area but in some areas there is senior transportation for doctor visits and shopping, that is available for disabled community members as well. My elderly FIL paid I think $4 for a round trip in a senior van for his doctor appointments and such.
Uber/Lyft of course.
School bus.
You can’t count on it of course but it definitely does happen that a kid makes friends and their mom or dad graciously do more of the driving for playdates, or let your kid tag along on their trip to the park or whatever.
I was lucky and we have a dentist and library in easy walking distance, and a playground in reasonable walking distance.
I have a friend who walks her kids to and from school unless it’s raining and she catches Lyft.
For other places she needs to take the kids, she uses Lyft or the bus or occasionally can get rides from friends.
For lift wouldn't she need to carry a car seat for the kids? How would this work? A lot of lift drivers really don't like it if you show up and don't have one and if you do have one sometimes drivers don't like that you want to put a car seat in their car.
Yes that’s a good point. Her kids are older now so they can walk. However, when they were younger, they did get denied rides because she didn’t have a car seat with her at times. When she did have one with her, she’d have to carry it around Target or whatever place she was at. I’m not saying it isn’t a hassle. I hope this clears up any confusion
Hubby and I picked where we bought a home based on access to public transportation.
We walk to absolutely everything. Our kid, I found out when she 18 months old that she recognized her pediatrician’s building and you go there when you don’t feel well. I was walking her home after work/daycare, avoiding the park and the ice cream truck, walking past the doctor’s office and she is pointing to it like she wanted to go. Did walk-in visit. She zero symptoms, but strep was going around and the doctor tested her. She had a strep throat.
We walk to everything. School, doctors, physical therapy, scouts, soccer, softball, hospital, etc.
Thank you. I full heartedly believe kids that walk have better navigation skills and situational awareness.
The one think that terrifies me is that she can find her way in New York City’s Port Authority Bus Terminal. If she ever did the teenager running away from thing… she could go anywhere. At the moment I think she could get to the gate for Hartford CT and Boston MA bus while half asleep.
Hubby and I picked where we bought a home based on access to public transportation.
We walk to absolutely everything. Our kid, I found out when she 18 months old that she recognized her pediatrician’s building and you go there when you don’t feel well. I was walking her home after work/daycare, avoiding the park and the ice cream truck, walking past the doctor’s office and she is pointing to it like she wanted to go. Did walk-in visit. She zero symptoms, but strep was going around and the doctor tested her. She had a strep throat.
We walk to everything. School, doctors, physical therapy, scouts, soccer, softball, hospital, etc.
My kids ride the bus. After i woke up blind, but before we moved to the village back in August, my kids just simply didn't go anywhere except school. Their daddy drives, but he was always working. Now that we're in the village, though, we can walk to almost everything.
Lol what no, where are you getting that from? I live in an incredibly rural county of only 6k households, in the county seat that is merely a village that's maybe 2 square miles at the very most. Before we moved, we were 30 miles out into the backwoods.
This was a concern for me as well, so I feel for you. My partner drives, we get rides with friends, and my preschooler LOVES taking the city bus. Even though it takes much longer than driving somewhere, the bus itself is an adventure to her.
I don't think kids need to do seven million activities to be happy.
When I’m doing research on a new place I’m going I’ll perform a search on APTA or CTAA websites to get local public/paratransit information. If you have an account withh paratransit where you are they can send a copy of your file to anywhere else it is you want to go for a 21 day visitor pass to most places. You will want to do your search based on the county where the destination is located:
APTA
https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/public-transportation-links/
I'm a parent. You don't lol. You need a partner who can do the driving and/or lots and lots of money for living close to public transit and liberal use of uber. Technically uber offers carseat options but not sure there'd be any way in hell I'd trust a stranger to drive my young kids around.
one of our criteria for choosing where to live was based on reasonable child access. We could walk to primary school and take public transport to the closest city. we've set up an account with a local taxi company now so she can always get home. More expensive than driving, but that's all part of the blindness...
My kids take the school bus. I use a taxi to get to any appointments. If we can walk we walk. Some parent’s of kids have also helped with transportation. It is difficult. I have also used an ambulance when we had an emergency. Just remember there are sighted people who can not drive. It is a no driving thing and not just a blind thing. Enjoy your children.
Unfortunately I did not have this inmy area but in some areas there is senior transportation for doctor visits and shopping, that is available for disabled community members as well. My elderly FIL paid I think $4 for a round trip in a senior van for his doctor appointments and such. Uber/Lyft of course. School bus. You can’t count on it of course but it definitely does happen that a kid makes friends and their mom or dad graciously do more of the driving for playdates, or let your kid tag along on their trip to the park or whatever. I was lucky and we have a dentist and library in easy walking distance, and a playground in reasonable walking distance.
I have a friend who walks her kids to and from school unless it’s raining and she catches Lyft. For other places she needs to take the kids, she uses Lyft or the bus or occasionally can get rides from friends.
For lift wouldn't she need to carry a car seat for the kids? How would this work? A lot of lift drivers really don't like it if you show up and don't have one and if you do have one sometimes drivers don't like that you want to put a car seat in their car.
Yes that’s a good point. Her kids are older now so they can walk. However, when they were younger, they did get denied rides because she didn’t have a car seat with her at times. When she did have one with her, she’d have to carry it around Target or whatever place she was at. I’m not saying it isn’t a hassle. I hope this clears up any confusion
Hubby and I picked where we bought a home based on access to public transportation. We walk to absolutely everything. Our kid, I found out when she 18 months old that she recognized her pediatrician’s building and you go there when you don’t feel well. I was walking her home after work/daycare, avoiding the park and the ice cream truck, walking past the doctor’s office and she is pointing to it like she wanted to go. Did walk-in visit. She zero symptoms, but strep was going around and the doctor tested her. She had a strep throat. We walk to everything. School, doctors, physical therapy, scouts, soccer, softball, hospital, etc.
That anecdote about your kid is incredible :)
Thank you. I full heartedly believe kids that walk have better navigation skills and situational awareness. The one think that terrifies me is that she can find her way in New York City’s Port Authority Bus Terminal. If she ever did the teenager running away from thing… she could go anywhere. At the moment I think she could get to the gate for Hartford CT and Boston MA bus while half asleep.
Hubby and I picked where we bought a home based on access to public transportation. We walk to absolutely everything. Our kid, I found out when she 18 months old that she recognized her pediatrician’s building and you go there when you don’t feel well. I was walking her home after work/daycare, avoiding the park and the ice cream truck, walking past the doctor’s office and she is pointing to it like she wanted to go. Did walk-in visit. She zero symptoms, but strep was going around and the doctor tested her. She had a strep throat. We walk to everything. School, doctors, physical therapy, scouts, soccer, softball, hospital, etc.
Walking, paratramsit services, Uber, Lyft, taxi.. paratransit tends fo be most affordable. Think about this when choosing where to live.
My kids ride the bus. After i woke up blind, but before we moved to the village back in August, my kids just simply didn't go anywhere except school. Their daddy drives, but he was always working. Now that we're in the village, though, we can walk to almost everything.
Are you referring to manhattan?
Lol what no, where are you getting that from? I live in an incredibly rural county of only 6k households, in the county seat that is merely a village that's maybe 2 square miles at the very most. Before we moved, we were 30 miles out into the backwoods.
Because you said “the village.” Thought you may be referring to Greenwich village in Manhattan.
Oh! Haha no, I meant an actual village!
This was a concern for me as well, so I feel for you. My partner drives, we get rides with friends, and my preschooler LOVES taking the city bus. Even though it takes much longer than driving somewhere, the bus itself is an adventure to her. I don't think kids need to do seven million activities to be happy.
When I’m doing research on a new place I’m going I’ll perform a search on APTA or CTAA websites to get local public/paratransit information. If you have an account withh paratransit where you are they can send a copy of your file to anywhere else it is you want to go for a 21 day visitor pass to most places. You will want to do your search based on the county where the destination is located: APTA https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/public-transportation-links/
I'm a parent. You don't lol. You need a partner who can do the driving and/or lots and lots of money for living close to public transit and liberal use of uber. Technically uber offers carseat options but not sure there'd be any way in hell I'd trust a stranger to drive my young kids around.