As the level of Farm Girl’s visual impairment became obvious, coinciding with her beginning Nova Montessori school at age four,we were initially lost.
That’s when BLENNZ (Blind and Low Vision Education Network of New Zealand) entered our life. Over the entire thirteen-plus-some years of Farm Girl’s education they’ve been there. From helping tweak Montessori methods to make them more accessible to a fun-living, noisy little girl who just couldn’t read body language to suggesting work arounds to us as we attempted to incorporate the NZ school curriculum into her home schooling, and then ensuring, once she re-entered the school system, that every opportunity was fairly available to her and and, more importantly, that she developed the skills to advocate for herself.
Her RTVs (Resource Teachers -Vision) have been part of our extended family for a long time but at the end of the school year, that finishes. Today, Farm Girl and I delivered what equates to one of the biggest treats in our arsenal – a Divine Cake – to the BLENNZ office to say thank you for everything…absolutely everything…because that Farm Girl is now more than ready to venture out into the world in no small way because of them.
Of course a cake isn’t enough…
but its damn good cake.
Union Homestead 
And a very well deserved cake too by the sound of it. It is good to hear of well organised provision for pupils who need help in navigating a system that is not made for them, so this is a heart warming story.
They have been great at letting us know what is available or practical for Farm Girl, at reminding the teachers of the little things they can do to make things easier (like renewing whiteboard markers when they begin to fade) but the most important thing was preparing her to speak out and up for herself. That’s not an easy lesson for a teenager who just wants to be one of the crowd
I have just spent far too long going back through your very early posts – it appears you started this blog in 2013, when FG was 6 and fairly new at Nova, and I seem to have joined the Homestead from afar in July 2014, when the movie Frozen loomed very large in almost every small (and not so small) girl’s life. At that point you had been goat keeping for a year, and FG’s fascination with the liquefaction truck and traffic cones was only in the recent past. There is a charming picture of her on a tricycle in the Frozen blog post. Where has the time gone????? She was 7 when I “met” her, and now she’s all grown up, and heading off to uni. With a family like hers, I think there cannot be any doubt that she would have thrived even without the help of BLENNZ, but I’m glad you had such a wonderful group in your corner. I’m sure frustrations with her visual challenges are not over, but she’s grown up to become resourceful and resilient and that is by far the best tool in her arsenal. I’m so proud of her, and I know that’s a tiny drop of pride compared to all you Homesteaders feel!
You’ve been right there with us for a long time now and FG is very touched at the pride you feel. She’s pretty cool, really, and you don’t have to delve too far to find that Frozen loving, feisty, fun loving 7 year old.
This is such a joyful, thankful post! What a difference the right help at the right time makes AND, what is just as important for the young person, a loving, adaptable, stable and brave family to belong to. Well done all of you and congratulations to Farm Girl for being herself and sticking to it all through thick and thin.
Lovely words, Clare. Thank you so much.
Well actually, cake says every thing! I am sure the BLENNZ were absolutely chuffed to receive the cake to express your appreciation for the support provided to your family over the years.
Thanks, Margaret. We truly believe cake to be the ultimate thank you.