Blind mothers' perceptions of their interactions and parenting experiences with their sighted infants and toddlers

The purpose of this study was to explore blind mothers' perceptions of the impact of their blindness as it relates to interactions with their young child and with their parenting experiences. A qualitative exploratory design was used to obtain descriptive data through multiple in-depth interviews. Participants were seven totally or legally blind mothers who were the primary caregivers of their sighted child, ages 9 month through three years of age. Participants were identified through contacts from national organizations, State of Texas human service agencies, and through word-of-mouth. Results showed that these blind mothers perceived a sense of overall competency in caring for and interacting with their child. The mothers reported on specific factors related to raising a child as a blind parent such as fears and concerns, joys of parenting, societal biases, safety, transportation, support needs and attitudes, and maternal-child interactions.