This week I visited the Union Township Branch of the Clermont County
library to see what books I could find
on stress and parenting a child with a disability. I wanted to experience what
the library had to offer and to decide if it would be a valuable resource to
offer to parents. I first tried using the keyword, “disabilities” for my
search. I was provided with 813 results. A bit overwhelming, so I narrowed my
search to “parenting a child with a disability” and was provided with 3963
results. Worse! As I scrolled through
the 80 pages, I soon discovered that many of the book listings did not have
anything to do with my search. I did find books that met my needs but it would
take a considerable amount of time to look through the catalog. I asked a
librarian about my inquiry and she stated that it may be beneficial to have
something specific in mind or an author when searching such a broad topic. I
did find books pertaining to a specific disability. Searching in that manner
may be a better way for parents. Books addressing disabilities written for
children are also available at the library. It may benefit siblings to check
out some of these books. I do feel the public library is a good resource for
families but they should be prepared to do some research if they do not have
something specific in mind.
I decided to
look on Amazon, just to see what I could find searching in a similar way. I did
feel I was a little less overwhelmed. Some of the books I found at Amazon were
available at the library. Parents could search online and then check with their
local library for availability.
My reason for
this inquiry was to be better prepared to support parents and families. What
books would or could I recommend? Where would I tell families to get the book?
I think it would be beneficial as an educator to start a list of books,
magazines, websites, peer journals, organizations, support groups, etc. that
you discover. The list could include anything that has been recommended by
families, educators, support staff, school psychologists. Having a readily available
list of resources may help reduce stress in families.
Kim,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to have a list of available resources to help families cope with stress. I have a similar experience as you did with the library. When we took the Children's Literature class last year, we had to get a list of 25 books or so. Remember? Well, my first thought was I BETTER GET TO A LIBRARY, so I did. Not such a good idea. I was in the library for a record breaking time of 4 hours searching, searching, and searching. I remember coming home completely exhausted. When I got home to tell my family about my experience, my sister goes "you should have looked them up on Amazon." So, just to make my situation funnier, I decided to get on Amazon to see if it would have been any easier and indeed it was! Libraries are a great resource to use when we have a particular book with title and author in mind..but for a general search it can become very overwhelming! I have also found that the Kindle App on my Ipad (you can download it for Iphones as well) is very useful and allows for quick access to an assortment of books!
I also think having a list of available resources is a great idea! It would take a while to compile such a list, but as you begin to work with families to address their specific needs, you will come across great resources to add to your list.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you spent 4 hours in the library Liz! When we did that assignment I used Amazon and Goodreads.com to find books, then I went to the library's website to put a hold on the books that I needed. I'm always searching for books for me and my kids, so I've become pretty adept at locating what I want. (Yes, I am a nerd ;-))